Urban communities currently contribute up to 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions globally. Urban areas are also among the most vulnerable hotspots for climate change impacts. This reality means that urban communities are at the centre of the challenge to achieve global climate targets. Cities have been in the spotlight for their ambitious commitments to tackle climate change and have inspired a ground-up movement of action on climate around the world. As the trailblazers of climate action, subnational governments are key drivers for the implementation of more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). National governments have a critical role to play in igniting the collective torches of subnational governments, together with civil society, the private sector and other non-state actors. Research by UNHabitat found that two-thirds of all NDCs mention the urban dimension in the context of national priorities and ambitions for reducing emissions1. Given the scale of the challenge facing African nations in particular, national governments need to draw on the available knowledge and capabilities of all levels of government and beyond. The Cities and Regions Talanoa Dialogues, a series of in-country climate consultations starting in 2018, is an innovative approach to facilitating critical multi-level, multisectoral conversations and knowledge sharing.
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