Cities should be recognized as key drivers of climate solutions, UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan Dmitry Shlapachenko stated during the next panel discussion at the Fourth Climate Week (CW4) conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, APA reports.
According to him, sustainable urban development and climate action are inseparable.
“Cities should be recognized not only as places vulnerable to climate change, but also as key drivers of climate solutions, innovation, sustainability and inclusive growth,” Shlapachenko said.
The UN official noted that the key collective challenge on the road to COP31 is to translate climate ambition into real implementation.
He emphasized that national climate commitments should be reflected in urban development strategies, spatial planning, infrastructure investments and local decision-making processes.
“Climate and urban policies can no longer operate in separate tracks. If we want to build sustainable, low-carbon and climate-resilient cities, these policies must be integrated,” Shlapachenko said.
According to him, the transformation of cities requires coordinated action across all sectors and different levels of government.
“Bridging the gap between national commitments and local implementation requires joint efforts by national and local governments, communities, international organizations, financial institutions, academia, the private sector and civil society,” he said.
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