Mayors for a Fossil Fuel Fuel Treaty
More than 100 mayors worldwide have endorsed the call for a Fossil Fuel Treaty. Many have done so publicly in order to generate pressure on national governments, encourage other cities to join the cohort and increase awareness about the Fossil Fuel Treaty campaign. During the C40 Summit in Buenos Aires in 2021, London Mayor Sadiq Khan officially endorsed the initiative during a keynote speech. At COP28 in Dubai, the Mayors of Hobart, Australia, Belem, Brazil and Paris, France, came together to discuss fossil fuels and the need for stronger cooperation to ensure a just transition. During the first ever international day of play in 2024, Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj called on fellow European Mayors to join him in endorsing as part of safeguarding future generations.
SAFE Cities Campaign
The SAFE (Stand Against Fossil Fuel Expansion) Cities Campaign is an internationally networked coalition of local movements working to limit fossil fuels and to support community leaders to adopt SAFE policies that accelerate clean, just and more efficient energy solutions. The three categories of SAFE policies include protection from fossil fuel infrastructure, electrification of buildings and electrified public and private transport. There are over 200 SAFE cities around the world. Together, they have passed over 164 SAFE policies that improve the lives of over 82 million people.
Fossil Fuel Advertising ban in Sydney, Australia
In 2022, The City of Sydney, Australia, committed to supporting the community campaign for a ban on advertising by companies involved in the production or supply of fossil fuels, including at Council sponsored events and on council-managed property. The resolution requested the Lord Mayor to write to the Federal Minister for Communications to ask the Federal Government to pass national laws that restrict fossil fuel advertising; and investigate implementing restrictions on advertising for fossil fuels for any Council controlled signage or property, as well as a ban on accepting sponsorships from companies whose main business is the extraction or sale of coal, oil or gas. It also mandated that they work with other councils, Local Government NSW and the Australian Local Government Association, to encourage a consistent approach across local governments to fossil fuel advertising.
Fossil Fuel Advertisement ban in Amsterdam, the Netherlands
In 2020, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, became the first city to adopt a motion asking the municipality to investigate how ads and marketing events of the fossil fuel industry and for air travel can be banned from the street scene. Ads on billboards and bus shelters, but also large-scale events from the fossil fuel industry are to no longer be permitted. The municipality was mandated to investigate what is needed to adjust current contracts accordingly, focusing the study on advertising for the coal, oil and gas sector and advertising for flying holidays. In 2021, ads promoting a fossil-fuel-intensive lifestyle were banned from the Amsterdam metro. About 10% of the ads were discontinued, such as ads for petrol-powered rental cars from companies like Sixt, Avis and Budget, as well as SUVs, and low cost flights.
Fossil Fuel Advertising ban in Edinburgh, Scotland
The city council of Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, voted in 2024 to ban fossil fuel advertisements on city property, including council-owned advertising spaces, such as billboards, bus stops and digital media. In particular, the policy states that an advertisement or sponsorship proposal could not be approved if it promotes high carbon products, defined as: airlines and airports, fossil fuel companies, cars (except electric and hydrogen cars if these are not Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs)) and cruise holidays. This policy amendment also means that these companies will also no longer be able to sponsor events or other partnerships in the city.
Divesting from Fossil Fuels in Copenhagen, Denmark
A political decision was made by Copenhagen’s council in 2016 to divest the city fund from all holdings in fossil fuels. There was some opposition in the council, however, the majority supported the decision with civil society also signalling strong support for this move. The city and the fund agreed that no investment will be made where more than 5% of revenues in the value chain of a company derive from oil, gas and coal. For utilities, the threshold for revenues from fossil fuels is 50%.
Divesting from Fossil Fuels in London, UK
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has worked with the LPFA (London Pension Fund Authority) on a climate change policy covering combined assets of just under £10 billion, to no longer consider new active investments in fossil fuel companies and for the fund to implement this policy on climate change by 2020, including all necessary divestment.
The Mayor is also calling on London boroughs to follow his lead and divest from fossil fuels. The Mayor is calling on the LPFA and organisations across London to scale up green investments by pension funds. Pension assets have the potential to fund the low carbon transition and can play an important role in helping London, and the rest of the world, scale up climate projects and pursue a zero carbon pathway.
The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator in Los Angeles, USA
The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) was founded in 2011 to empower the City of Los Angeles' primary economic strategy, which is to drive the innovation and growth of Los Angeles' green economy. It works with startups to accelerate the commercialization of clean technologies; transforming markets through partnerships with policymakers, innovators and market leaders in zero-emission transportation, clean energy and sustainable cities; and enhancing communities through workforce development, pilot, and other programs.
Their network includes government agencies, corporations, utilities, academic institutions, community organisations and other nonprofits that are spearheading in-house programs such as the Transportation Electrification Partnership and the new Energy Innovation Program.
Greening the construction sector in Lappeenranta, Finland
Supporting skills in the green transition is particularly important for the City of Lappeenranta, where 10% of local jobs rely directly on carbon intensive industries such as mining, cement and concrete production.
A central solution, pursued in the Urban Infra Revolution project of UIA, is to promote the circular economy in construction, creating new business opportunities and jobs while reducing waste and CO2 emissions. Involving local universities, businesses and residents, Lappeenranta decided to find an alternative to the polluting steel reinforced concrete used in local infrastructure.
The local authority took a proactive leadership role, facilitating a collaboration platform for about 50 local businesses – including traditional industries – to explore and develop circular solutions. The city also facilitated a shared patent application for committed businesses. Since Finnish law requires citizens’ approval for local infrastructure changes, the project created a 3D virtual 2050 city allowing residents to experience and comment on proposed changes.
Promoting a green economy in Vancouver, Canada
The Vancouver Green City Action Plan called for doubling the number of green and local food jobs, and for doubling the number of businesses greening their operations. In total, over 15,000 new green and local food jobs were added to the city over the last ten years, an increase of 87% since 2010. The City continues to engage residents and business in a broad way around green economics, offering a range of opportunities such as green grants, a mentorship program for women, a business toolkit and more.
Integrating migrant waste workers into the formal economy in Accra, Ghana
With support from the Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees (GCF), the City of Accra is integrating more than 200 migrant waste workers into the formal economy and helping them overcome barriers to financial inclusion, healthcare and childcare and build resilience to climate change.
The City of Accra surveyed informal waste workers to collect disaggregated data on their economic status and access to national identification and health insurance. This data helped Accra more effectively plan and support informal waste sector actors. To formalise and deepen engagements between city authorities and the waste sector, Accra convened multi-stakeholder platforms composed of migrant and non-migrant waste workers and community leaders.
To promote financial inclusion and sustainable waste management practices, the City of Accra helped over 200 informal migrant waste workers to both register for national healthcare and enrol in formal waste cooperatives. This dual approach provided migrant waste workers with access to public and private hospitals and employment protection while helping fill gaps in the city’s waste management value chain, including sorting and recycling waste. The project has also constructed a childcare centre to provide safe spaces for waste workers’ children away from the hazardous sites where their parents work.
Taxing SUV parking in Paris, France
In 2024, Parisians voted to create a specific tax for parking “heavy, bulky and polluting” private cars. Vehicles such as SUVs will have to pay up to three times the current fee starting after the City Council’s vote in September 2024. Voting was split along socio-economic lines, between the wealthy West arrondissements (voting against) and the more multicultural East.
The City targeted SUVs because of studies showing their negative impact on the climate and road safety, the question of noise pollution and space they take up.
Implementing Low Emission Zones in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes published plans for the first low emission district in Brazil which will be located in the centre of the city. The program will have an initial implementation phase of two years with the forecast for the complete installation by 2030. Some of the forecasts are: the expansion of the cycling path network and vegetation cover, the monitoring of the air quality, environmental education initiatives, the use of electric vehicles by the city hall and boosting retrofit activities (i.e., the restoration of buildings instead of the construction of new ones). The effort concentrates on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide.
Bus fleet electrification in Santiago, Chile
In 2018, the Chilean government established the National Electromobility Strategy to drive the transition to clean buses. As of mid-2020, Santiago had more than 410 electric buses in circulation—at the time, the largest fleet in Latin America and the second largest in the world. The new bidding process for public transit buses in Santiago must include incentives for including and renewing clean vehicles for the fleet. These include providing temporary terminals for buses to park while charging after routes, as well as new vehicles that must be more energy efficient and have lower pollutant emissions. In 2023, its RED System reported it had 2,000 electric buses which represent 31% of the total fleet.
Ban of Cruise Ships & Oil Tankers in Venice, Italy
In 2021, Italy’s Decree-Law No. 103 approving urgent measures for the protection of Venice, including a declaration of some of its waterways as a national monument, entered into effect. It converted a decree into law, effectively banning cruise ships and other large vessels from the Venice Lagoon.
UNESCO had been expressing concerns about multiple threats to the fabric of the historic city. They requested a ban on very large cruise ships as well as oil tankers as far back as 2014. This was because the ships were threatening the already fragile foundations of the city’s buildings. The wake of the very large vessels was also damaging the ecosystem of the lagoon.
School streets in Tirana, Albania
In Tirana, a successful pilot initiative led by Qendra Marrëdhënie (QM / Relationship Center) in 2020, within the NACTO–GDCI’s “Streets for Kids” program, has led to the development of Gjon Buzuku Play Street, a playground and safe mobility zone with an emphasis on walkability for young children and their caregivers built in collaboration with the school and neighbourhood community. The city is now scaling to 20 permanent streets, announcing the Rrugët për Fëmijët’ – Streets for Kids – which applies some simple traffic infrastructure design changes to make school drop-off and pick-ups a much calmer, safer experience for the city’s children, parents and guardians.
The Oil and Gas Drilling Ordinance in Los Angeles, USA
In 2022, the Los Angeles City Council adopted an ordinance to ban all oil drilling within City limits. The adopted Oil Ordinance requires the phase out of these oil drilling activities, which are known hazards to public health and safety, by immediately banning new oil and gas extraction and requiring the removal of existing operations after an amortisation period.
Los Angeles adopted regulations that will phase out oil activities altogether in order to improve the City’s overall livability while addressing long-standing injustices to frontline communities and communities of colour disproportionately affected by the health impacts of drill sites.
Building Electrification Strategy in Sacramento, USA
The Sacramento city council unanimously passed a Building Electrification Strategy that outlines a set of long-term policies and actions to support the transition of Sacramento’s existing buildings to carbon free electricity by 2045. The strategy defines a set of equity and effectiveness criteria, which were developed with input from community members. These criteria were used to guide the selection and prioritisation of policies and actions to advance the health, safety, comfort, economic, climate and air quality benefits of electrification for all people in Sacramento. The city has also looked to ban new gas stations.
Combatting Polluting infrastructure in Peruíbe, Brazil
The city of Peruíbe, in the Southeast region of Brazil, struggled against the installation of a thermoelectric power plant, which could be one of the largest of its type in an urban area in the world. Citizens have organised themselves, pressured city councillors and after a complicated legislative process, the municipal council finally approved an amendment to local bylaws that will prevent the construction of the plant in the municipality, and block any future mega-polluting projects.
Improving School Energy Use in Rome, Italy
Many school buildings in Rome date back to the nineteenth century and are badly insulated, and poorly equipped to face the threats of a changing climate. The city has been investing in education renovation aimed at making over 200 schools more energy-efficient and sustainable.
The City of Rome is responsible for a huge number of educational buildings. It has 1 144 nurseries, kindergartens, primary and lower secondary schools. These schools are by far the biggest energy consumers among Rome’s public buildings, accounting for as much as 95% of total municipal energy consumption.
Working with the EU bank, the city engaged with local districts to identify priority buildings with existing energy audits and accessible full information. This way, they can focus on buildings that can be quickly updated, with little disruption to school attendance. Schools in Rome will get new thermal insulation coats with high energy efficiency. All the selected schools will get new windows, doors, lighting and updated heating systems. Newer builds will also be equipped with photovoltaics and heat pumps.
Urbanism & Mobility Plan 2050 in Montreal, Canada
In 2025, the City will adopt the “Plan d'urbanisme et de mobilité” (PUM) 2050, which will define the rules for developing the territory and shaping mobility with a view to ecological transition and social and territorial equity. The PUM 2050 is the master document by which the City announces the urban form and mobility networks to be deployed on its territory for the next 25 years. It serves as a frame of reference for actions, within the limits of municipal jurisdiction, that will affect the lifestyles of Montrealers and improve their quality of life. It rests on three principles: ecological transition and biodiversity, urban health and safety and social and territorial equity.
Revitalising public space in the capital for children in Lima, Peru
Limeños al Bicentenario is a programme that aims to transform public areas with low-cost interventions such as planting trees and greenery, and creating places for adults to sit and young children to play. It also aims to build social cohesion by engaging residents to maintain these newly renovated areas while simultaneously improving the city’s resilience to climate change.
11 sites covering over 19,000 m2 have been developed with 237 trees and 270 pieces of urban furniture such as benches and play equipment that have inspired 510 people to volunteer. Limeños al Bicentenario has also formed connections with another initiative, “Salidas seguras (going out safely), bringing caregivers with young children together in groups to give them more confidence to explore the city’s public spaces.
The Superblocks Program in Barcelona, Spain
The Barcelona program is transforming the city’s streets by limiting traffic and increasing the amount of green and recreational spaces. It shifts traditional city blocks into clusters of “superblocks,” where perimeter streets allow through traffic, but inner streets are reserved for pedestrians and cyclists.
It is successfully creating biodiverse and accessible urban green spaces, resulting in benefits in well-being and emotional health, better rest, less noise and air pollution and greater socialisation. The areas became quieter, more comfortable and safer environments which facilitated interaction between neighbours.
In the San Antoni superblock area, there was a 25% reduction in NO2 levels and a 17% reduction in PM10 levels and a decrease in noise levels.
Trash to Cashback Program in Quezon City, Philippines
As the largest city in Metro Manila, Quezon City, generates over 2,000 tons of waste each day from its more than three million residents. The multi-stakeholder “Trash to Cashback Program” was introduced by the city in 2021 to encourage citizens to become active participants in the recovery of recyclables and single-use plastics from the waste stream. Items traded are converted to ‘Environmental Points’ which they can use to (1) pay for utility bills such as electricity, water, etc., (2) buy grocery items and (3) order food deliveries.
The program was anchored within Enhanced Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP) 2021-2050, and allowed the City to effectively push its campaign to reduce plastic wastes while intensifying segregation at source and introducing the concept of incentivized recycling and circular economy for a more sustainable lifestyle. Continuous awareness campaigns and communications allowed the initiative to grow from around 1800 kg of monthly waste trade in the first 5 months, to around 4000-5000 kg of monthly waste trade.
Reducing unnecessary plastic in Buenos Aires, Argentina
The city of Buenos Aires is delivering awareness raising and education campaigns: “BAciudadverde” and “BAdAmbiente" and social media campaigns with messages of single-use plastic reduction as part of Plastic Free July initiative.
The city is also working with bakeries on a voluntary plastic bag reduction. It is looking to establish or revise legal measures, including bans or restriction on specific categories of plastic packaging and/or products considered problematic or unnecessary, alongside continuing working on voluntary and legal measures to gradually eliminate problematic and unnecessary single use plastic products or packaging that can be avoided or replaced by reusable or compostable alternatives on the market.
Resisting the petrochemical sector in Cancer Alley, Louisiana, USA
The fossil fuel and petrochemical industry in the Louisiana area that has come to be known as “Cancer Alley” has devastated the health, lives and environment of residents. Cancer Alley refers to an approximately 85-mile stretch of communities along the banks of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, where communities exist side by side with some 200 fossil fuel and petrochemical operations. The effects of extreme pollution from the fossil fuel and petrochemical industry have been documented, with residents facing elevated rates and risks of maternal, reproductive and newborn health harms, cancer, and respiratory ailments. Parts of Cancer Alley have the highest risk of cancer from industrial air pollution in the United States. These harms are disproportionately borne by the area’s Black residents.
Read the Report ‘We’re Dying Here’: The Fight for Life in a Louisiana Fossil Fuel Sacrifice Zone,”
Community-based solid waste separation and compost in Accra, Ghana
In Accra, a municipal waste source separation and compost project involves the community and informal waste sector. Over 850 informal waste collectors, including migrants, are engaged in collecting and separating waste. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions by diverting organic waste from landfills and increases waste collection coverage. The Accra Metropolitan Assembly supports cooperatives, implements a social insurance scheme and offers capacity-building programs to improve the quality of life and jobs for informal waste workers, ensuring a just transition. The project reduces open burning and waste dumping, important challenges to combating climate change. It also improves coverage of waste collection systems and consequently upgrading hygienic conditions in low-income communities.
Capturing waste & generating awareness in Kingston, Jamaica
Clean Harbours Jamaica and the GraceKennedy Foundation are working with The Ocean Cleanup to deploy a range of Interceptors throughout the city’s drainage gullies, aiming to prevent an estimated 1000 tons of trash flowing yearly into Kingston Harbour. The partnership is also conducting community engagement and awareness generation among residents, as well as schoolchildren from across the region.
Local and Subnational Governments Coalition to End Plastic Pollution
In a coordinated move towards combating the global crisis of plastic pollution, the Local and Subnational Governments Coalition (LSNG Coalition) was launched Led by led ICLEI, the governments of Quebec and Catalonia and UCLG It is comprised of local and subnational governments, city networks and other organisations. It underscores the urgent need for collective action at all levels of society and government to address the environmental and health hazards posed by plastic pollution.
The LSNG Coalition has the collective goal of engaging Member States and the INC-Secretariat during and post INC negotiations with a unified voice. The coalition also seeks to ensure that the future international instrument on plastic pollution has a high ambition to address plastic pollution and also create healthy and thriving communities and workforce in line with the principles of a Just Transition, while ensuring a sustainable economy.
The Solar Cities Programme, Sanchi India
The Development of Solar Cities programme, sanctioned by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in India, supports urban local authorities in their preparation of a road map to becoming Renewable Energy Cities or Solar Cities. The programme involves working with each city to prepare a solar city master plan, as well as helping them build institutional support and raise awareness on the benefits of the programme among local communities. The town of Sanchi is being positioned as a Solar City, and has embraced a series of infrastructural modifications., such as the installation of over 300 solar street lights, and the introduction solar trees and solar drinking water kiosks. The initiatiev is said to curtail carbon dioxide emissions by 14,324 tonnes annually.