Deputy Secretary-General Hails Local, Regional Leadership on Front Lines of Sustainable Development, at New York Side Event
Following are UN Deputy Secretary‑General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, to Local2030 and the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments, in New York today:
Welcome, and it is a great pleasure to be here with you. I thank the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments, United Cities and Local Governments and the Local2030 network for your kind invitation. It is wonderful to see so many inspiring civic leaders.
This year’s High-Level Political Forum [on Sustainable Development, held under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council] is highlighting local action for one simple reason: We need you.
Local and regional governments are on the front lines of sustainable development and the fight against climate change. Your communities and cities are key to realizing the vision of the 2030 Agenda [for Sustainable Development], our global blueprint for stable, prosperous societies on a healthy planet, and to implementing the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Last week’s first thematic review of Sustainable Development Goal 11 on inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities underlined your crucial role in achieving all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Today’s Local and Regional Governments’ Forum and tomorrow’s Local2030 event on new solutions and commitments for local implementation of the SDGs will build on this momentum.
Your voices have been heard, loud and clear. I thank you for your efforts and assure you that the entire United Nations system is working to develop the Local2030 strategy which will guide our critical partnership with you.
Eighty per cent of global gross domestic product is produced in cities. But despite this wealth, urban income inequality remains high. Some city residents live in extreme poverty. And by 2050, the top 1 per cent around the world could earn close to 28 per cent of global income.
Such high levels of inequality will have serious consequences and are an enormous challenge. Cities can accelerate sustainable solutions — but inequality can also magnify problems. That is why it is so important to make sure that everyone benefits from sustainable development and to fulfil the central pledge of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind.
Local governments around the world are already developing, implementing and monitoring ambitious and inclusive SDG action plans. Our host city, New York, has led by example, by presenting its voluntary local review at the High-Level Political Forum. We hope this will be an inspiration and invite you to submit your own local reviews.
Mexico City has developed an online data collection tool to track progress on the SDGs, helping local government agencies to better understand the impact of their plans and programmes. The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, is planning to create a post-car city, with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Older diesel cars will be banned, while there will be dedicated lanes for electric trams. In the Philippines, Cauayan City has launched a range of activities to address all dimensions of the SDGs — from health programmes that have successfully reduced maternal and neonatal deaths to a solar street lighting project.
But while there are many success stories, we also need to consider the obstacles that are preventing cities and urban areas from realizing the SDGs. I see three major issues.
The first is finance. Cities and other settlements face significant financial challenges. To put us on track towards a more sustainable future, we need to invest some $4.5 trillion to $5.4 trillion annually in low-emission and climate-resilient infrastructure in urban areas. Yet many local governments continue to face difficulties accessing finance and have limited capacities to raise their own revenues.
My office is working with local government networks, partners across the United Nations system and leaders present here today to find and implement solutions. We look forward to working with you on developing and implementing a new Local2030 Finance Facility for local governments and innovative municipal investment funds.
The second issue is data. As mayors and leaders of local and regional governments, you face challenging decisions every day which must be based on detailed, timely and reliable data. Local leaders must enjoy the benefits of the global data revolution, which can provide new insights on communities and service delivery.
Yet many local and regional governments are struggling to monitor progress on the SDGs. Through Local2030, local government networks and the United Nations will work with data leaders and representatives of local and regional governments to establish a new protocol for community-scale SDG data and monitoring.
The third issue is climate change, which could have a very serious impact in cities. We are pleased that United Cities and Local Governments will be working with city leaders and the office of Special Envoy [for Climate Action] Michael Bloomberg to enhance the ambition of city climate action plans and ensure that they are compliant with no more than a 1.5°C increase in global warming.
The United Nations is working closely with our partners to scale urban and local action to bend the emissions curve. We are also working to support climate resilience in cities, many of which are located on coasts and along rivers, making them extremely vulnerable to climate shocks. We look forward to seeing strategies that will make climate resilience plans accessible to all, particularly the urban poor. I thank the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) for leading that effort.
We are also eager to see new commitments from global development banks and private businesses, related to urban infrastructure and supply chains. As we prepare for the Climate Summit in 2019, we will need national and local leadership on all this work.
Your engagement and commitment to sustainable development is inspiring and encouraging. More than 240 representatives from local and regional government are here at the High-Level Political Forum, and I urge you to carry this momentum forward and build on it.
This gathering is an important opportunity to share concrete information and strategies to achieve the SDGs, from those on the front lines. We at the United Nations are the experts in holding meetings. You are the experts on getting things done at the local level, and we have the utmost respect for that.
We need to learn from you and understand how we can help you to make the 2030 Agenda a reality in your communities and beyond. I look forward to hearing your views.