City host more than half of the world’s population, concentrating millions of people into locations that can be highly vulnerable to disaster, pollution, climate change. Urbanisation and urban lifestyles already account for some 75% of global resource and energy use, produce more than half of global waste and at last 60% of greenhouse gas emissions.
Subnational authorities are also at the forefront of our responses to the pollution, biodiversity and climate crises: local governments, regional authorities, city councils and mayors are at the frontline of addressing the triple planetary crises, and the mid-point between individuals and the nation.
The upcoming Stockholm+50 conference in June is a time for bold action and engagement, commemorating the 1972 Stockholm United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. The conference recognized the centrality of the environment for human well-being, sparked new global agreements to protect the environment, and led to the creation the UN Environment Programme.
In the last 50 years, it has become increasingly clear that subnational authorities are key factors and actors for achieving global environmental agendas. This group seeks to collect voices of subnational actors to make sure they are heard ‘local and clear’ at Stockholm+50, and to identify opportunities to connect and scale actions for a better future on a healthy planet with prosperity for all.
