INTRODUCTION Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home made a powerful argument that efforts to tackle climate change must also address issues of poverty and social inequality. It set out the moral imperative to communicate and act upon the inter-connectedness of environmental, social and economic development. It has also inspired a renewed commitment among mayors and local leaders around the world to pursue inclusive and sustainable growth in cities while also tackling climate change. As the new Chair of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has identified social inclusion as a strategic priority for the organization and its global network of more than 85 cities, over half of which are in the Global South. Consequently, C40 has a new Inclusive Climate Action program, which will provide tools and strategies to help mayors tackle two of the greatest challenges facing cities today – climate change and inequality – in an integrated way. This publication features the vision of leading mayors from Bogotá, Cape Town, New York City, Paris, Portland, and Seoul who are pursuing inclusive climate action in their cities. Each of these mayors has implemented groundbreaking initiatives – from installing solar panels on low-income family homes to implementing resiliency strategies to protect vulnerable communities. The examples showcased here are meant to inform and inspire other cities around the globe, ensuring that efforts to address climate change help create sustainable cities for all.
PARIS FRANCE
Image: Jean Baptiste Gurliat