Delivering a message via videolink, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said cities would be the drivers of global transformation and encouraged them to strengthen their networks.

Thirty-five mayors, including those of Johannesburg, Paris and Montreal, added their names to the Compact of Mayors, with the mayor of Seoul announcing a plan to bring even more cities into the fold. Launched at the 2014 UN Climate Summit, the Compact is a coalition of mayors and city leaders voluntarily committing to cut emissions, track progress and prepare for the impacts of climate change, through consistent, public reporting of efforts. Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Cities and Climate Change, said that the Compact proves that international cooperation on climate change can lead to results.

Available at: http://africasd.iisd.org/news/mayors-commit-to-climate-action-ahead-of-paris-conference/