C40 helps and supports cities to share knowledge, collaborate effectively and drive meaningful, measurable and sustainable action on climate.

By taking bold climate action, C40 cities connect 97 of the greatest cities from all around the world. The main goal of the C40 cities is to divide the aggregate carbon emission of member cities within 10 years by improving resilience and equity and creating conditions for everybody wherever to flourish.

C40 is an original partner of the COP26 Race to Zero global campaign to rally support from cities, businesses, regions, and investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery - and mobilise them to deliver on the 1.5°C ambition of the Paris Agreement. Through a Global Green New Deal, mayors are working alongside a coalition of representatives from labour, business, youth climate movements and civil society to go further and faster than ever before. The current Chair of C40 is Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti, and the three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the Board. C40’s work is made possible by our three strategic funders : Bloomberg Philanthropies, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), and Realdania. C40 member cities earn their membership through activities carried out by C40 cities finance facility. A joint partnership between C40 and GIZ (Germany’s development agency) enables cities in developing countries to access finance for their climate action projects. In 2020, the initiative was recognised by the United Nations 2020 Global Climate Action Award for aggregating a potential $650 million investment in climate-proof urban infrastructure projects.

C40’s most distinguishing feature is that it operates on performance-based requirements. Approved by C40’s Steering Committee of mayors, they set the minimum membership criteria and ensure the integrity of C40 as a network of climate leaders. Member cities have to meet these requirements or leave C40. This, together with working within a peer group of world-leading cities taking ambitious and innovative climate action, creates positive competition, encouraging C40 cities to go even further in their efforts to tackle the climate crisis.  From 2021, C40 Steering Committee is further strengthening membership standards, as new C40 Leadership Standards. Regional approach While C40’s greatest strength is its ability to unite the world’s leading mayors around climate action, city demand for more in-depth support and tailoring of C40 services is equally guided by city demand.

C40 cities deliver some support through regionally specific programmes and intend to increase this in the future. This also supported by the leadership of regional Vice-Chairs, who unite and amplify regional mayoral voices. C40 focuses on supporting cities in the Global South through capacity-building assistance to deliver rapid, high-impact climate mitigation and adaptation actions, while our primary focus in the Global North is on supporting cities in exchanging best practices and working with partners to pilot new climate solutions.

Fahim Shaikh

Illustration C40