The 3-day virtual Urban 20 (U20) meeting concluded today as mayors around the world collaborate on ideas and policies that will shape the world’s cities in the years to come.
According to Arab News, the U20 participants and delegates focused on climate change and the environment. Experts who took part in a special session on Thursday of the U20 Mayors Summit in Riyadh agreed broadly that “achieving a carbon-neutral circular economy is key to fulfilling global climate-action pledges.”
The U20, a virtual gathering this year bringing together urban leaders, concludes today.
The common goal of the policy recommendations is to help cities shift from a linear material economy to a circular model that reduces, reuses, recovers and recycles scarce, carbon-intensive resources.
More than 42 cities have participated in this process in 2020. “Together, we reached consensus on 27 recommendations we will be making to the G20 this year. Through a collaborative and inclusive process over the course of seven months. we worked in four task force groups and drew on our experience and evidence to prepare white papers, case studies and policy recommendations that reflect our common experiences and priorities,” the group said in a statement.
“This feat of collaboration and public service has been most apparent in our discussions about climate change. The spirit of cooperation and urgency reflects the imperative of climate change and the special opportunity for urban centers to drive progress together. Our process of dialogue resulted in concrete recommendations that will be presented to the leaders of the G20 and will allow us to take practical steps to make the world more carbon neutral and improve the lives of billions of people.”
Mauricio Esteban Rodas Espinel, the former mayor of Quito, Ecuador, spoke to Arab News during the Urban 20 (U20) Mayors Summit, and noted, “it is in the cities that we need to tackle the world’s biggest problems: COVID-19, climate change, migration, and social inequalities.”
The U20 process will only grow in importance year on year, organizers say, “as the challenges and opportunities of urbanization continue to mount and effect all of us. We welcome the participation and support of cities around the world who share our commitment to working together. We are on the front lines every day. We will continue to progress our ambitious agenda when we work together as one.”
