By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
Mayors and delegates wrapped up the C40 Large Cities Climate Summit, Thursday, declaring their determination to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to make their cities low-carbon ones by acting in concert.
``C40 cities hereby set a common goal of transforming themselves into low-carbon cities by cutting greenhouse gas emissions to the largest extent possible, by adapting themselves to the unavoidable climate change consequences, by making cities less vulnerable to climate change and by enhancing cities' capacity for remediation,'' Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said in the Seoul Declaration. The declaration was adopted unanimously by the C40 member cities during a general assembly Wednesday.
They also announced policies and measures to address climate change through the Climate Change Action Plans (CCAP), a guideline for cities to develop their own ways of fighting climate change.
``C40 cities identify their current level of carbon emissions from all city operations and stages of community development including urban planning, design and infrastructure building. Cities will reduce emissions wherever possible through policies, programs and projects and taking steps to negate the impact of remaining emissions,'' Oh said.
The third summit made more progress than previous meetings by including more details, and recognizing the role of cities in the declaration such as designating staff in charge of climate change. In addition, cities will have to report on their established targets and achievements at subsequent C40 summits.
David Miller, mayor of Toronto and C40 chair, applauded Seoul for successfully hosting the summit and reiterated the importance of cities taking an active role in tackling climate change.
Cities take up only 2 percent of the Earth's surface but are responsible for 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. ``It is essential that countries engage, empower and resource cities if they wish to fight climate change and succeed,'' Miller said.
To emphasize the role of cities in fighting climate change, the mayors will gather once again right before the 15th United Nations Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15) to demand the inclusion of the Seoul Declaration in the conference agenda.
Mayor Gilberto Kassab of Sao Paolo, Brazil, where the fourth summit will be held in 2011, said, ``We should continue to challenge and motivate public opinion, the judiciary, and, moreover, the media, so we public administrators can be pressed on to taking solutions for the environment.''
C40 is a voluntary organization that consists of 40 member cities and 17 affiliate cities that aim to better deal with climate change and its consequences. About 500 delegates from 76 cities worldwide participated in the summit, sharing best practices for tackling climate change and offering help to cope with environmental hazards.