The importance of cities in climate action highlighted in final Daring Cities report

The report and all of its conclusions are now available for download

Daring Cities 2020 has finally wrapped up, and after a series of events, discussions and workshops, the final report of the entire project has been released. When organisers set out to top and build on the legacy of the Resilient City Congress series, they arrived at the idea of the Daring Cities project, which has put an emphasis on the role played by urban areas, their local governments and their work in fighting for a better future by combating climate change.

Cities at the forefront of modern challenges

The coronavirus pandemic made Daring Cities 2020 a unique event, as it successfully managed to move its planned activities online and garnered amazing public reception. Hundreds of city leaders from across the world, over 850 local and regional governments, as well as representatives of the UN took part in the digital conference, discussing the role that urban areas are and will play in the fight against climate change.

Towards the end of the project, three distinct outcomes became apparent from the sessions and discussions. The first and perhaps the most important one is the fact that cities across the world are already actively contributing to the fight against climate change. This ambition on the local level is also translating into national progress across the world, as city authorities have wide-reaching powers to curb the emission within their own jurisdictions.

The second conclusion from the project is that daring and ambition are key drivers for a response to the climate emergency. Citizen engagement, active local governance and smart and innovative approaches are key to fighting for the environment. Furthermore, their engagement with national and regional authorities is also crucial for any effective climate strategy.

The final outcome of Daring Cities 2020 can be found in the success of the event itself. By gathering so many local governments and officials together, Daring Cities 2020 has definitively proven that cities across the world not only need but also deserve a unifying place that supports integrated local action. Only through collaborative efforts between all stakeholders engaged in the fight against climate change, can success truly be achieved.