Bloomberg Philanthropies Announces New Partnership with Urban20 to Supercharge Multilevel Climate Action and Redefine Global Urban Finance

The 7th U20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro will bring together hundreds of mayors, global delegates, andpartners, setting the stage for the G20 Leaders' Summit

Mexico City, Mexico- Today at Bloomberg CityLab, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced it will partner with the Urban20 (U20)to support this year's Summit in Rio de Janeiro, November 14-17. Taking place immediately before global leaders gather for the G20 Summit, U20 will bring together hundreds of mayors, global delegates, and partners to accelerate multilevel partnerships, unleash urban financing, and drive ambitious climate action. Bloomberg Philanthropies' support will help ensure the participation of a global delegation of mayors at the U20 Summit and help G20 nations elevate their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ambitions before COP30 in Brazil in 2025, charting a bold path for how cities and nations can unite to meet the world's climate goals.

The U20 initiative is convened by C40 Cities and United Cities and Local Governments, with the 2024 cycle co-chaired by Mayor of Rio de Janeiro Eduardo Paes and Mayor of São Paulo Ricardo Nunes. The U20 is a G20 Engagement Group, bringing together cities from G20 countries to inform and influence the discussions of national leaders. The purpose of the U20 is to facilitate lasting engagement between the G20 and cities, raise the profile of urban issues in the G20 agenda, and establish a forum for cities to develop a collective message and perspective to formally contribute to G20 negotiations.

"Cities around the world are showing that fighting climate change goes hand-in-hand with economic growth, improving public health, and reducing poverty," said Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions and Founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies."Ahead of COP30, the U20 Summit will be an opportunity for mayors, governors, national leaders, and financial institutions to accelerate action. The more we work together, the greater chance we have of stopping the worst effects of the climate crisis."

"Rio de Janeiro is honored to serve as the Capital of the G20 Summit and the U20 Summit this year, welcoming leaders from all around the world in November," saidMayor Eduardo Paes, Rio de Janeiro. "As the host city of landmark events like ECO92 and Rio+20, Rio has long been a stage for critical global discussions. The upcoming Urban 20, along with the collaborative work the City Hall has undertaken with C40 Cities and Bloomberg Philanthropies since 2012, will underscore the pivotal role cities play in shaping both national and international climate policies. This summit is more than a gathering, it is a vital platform for showcasing urban solutions and influencing the G20's response to the urgent challenges facing our cities today."

"The U20 summit offers São Paulo and cities worldwide an opportunity to take our local successes to the global stage," said Mayor Ricardo Nunes, São Paulo. "With the backing of partners like Bloomberg Philanthropies, we are better equipped to demonstrate how urban leadership is vital in tackling global challenges. Now, as the world looks towards Brazil's leadership in the G20 and COP30, we have the chance to show how urban leadership is vital in tackling global challenges. Together with national governments, we can drive the policies and investments needed to secure a sustainable future."

This year's U20 Summit builds on Mike Bloomberg's and Mayor Eduardo Paes' long-standing legacy of elevating local climate action to the global stage, a journey that began in Rio de Janeiro over a decade ago. In 2012, as Chair of C40 Cities, Mike Bloomberg, alongside Mayor Paes, led a delegationof mayors to the UN Rio+20 conference, where cities showcased their climate progress amid stalled national negotiations. With Brazil now holding the G20 Presidency and preparing to host COP30 next year, the country is once again at the center of global climate diplomacy, playing a pivotal role in driving ambitious climate action on the world stage.

"The U20 Summit will showcase the transformative power of urban leadership in driving action to build a sustainable future," said Mark Watts, Executive Director, C40 Cities."Cities like Rio, which has established a solar plant on a repurposed landfill to provide energy to 45 schools, or São Paulo, which is developing a public park equivalent in size to Paris, demonstrate the kind of bold, multi-level actions that could enhance national climate commitments at COP30. With the CHAMP initiative now bringing all levels of government together in 73 countries to forge genuinely national climate commitments, and with the invaluable support of Bloomberg Philanthropies for both CHAMP and this U20 summit, there is an opportunity for all G20 countries to step up and endorse CHAMP. Cities have never been more pivotal to the global climate agenda."

"Cities are at the forefront of addressing global challenges at the local level, including conflict, the triple planetary crisis, and rising inequalities, hunger, and poverty," said Emilia Saiz, Secretary-General, UCLG. "Their leading action must be reinforced through enabling multilevel governance frameworks and enhanced capacity to provide public services that lay the foundation for equality and social justice to create a more equal, inclusive, and sustainable world for future generations. UCLG is pleased to foster youth ownership of the sustainability agenda of cities in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, particularly within the framework of the Youth Climate Action Fund. We welcome the support for the U20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro. This collaboration highlights the power of partnerships to promote the recognition of cities as key governmental actors in international discussions and foster multilevel approaches to governance."

The November 2024 U20 Summit will focus on priorities aligned with the Brazilian Federal Government's objectives for the G20 Presidency, culminating in the U20 Communiqué, which will be submitted to the G20 Presidency, building on the gathering of over 30 mayors in São Pauloearlier this year. Co-Chair Paes will lead U20 participating cities, observer cities, and partners in delivering the Communiqué. Building on the statementfrom the June 2024 U20 Summit, the Communiqué will outline key recommendations for the G20 on social inclusion, climate action, global governance reforms, and sustainable urban development financing.

Strategic partners of this year's U20 include the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, Breathe Cities, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA), the Urban SDG Commission, and others.

"Cities can lead the way on climate action, and CHAMP is a powerful catalyst for local and national governments to work hand in hand to plan, finance and deliver climate action," said Gregor Robertson, GCoM Global Ambassador & Special Envoy for Cities in CHAMP."The upcoming U20 Summit in Rio is a unique opportunity for mayors to shape the global climate agenda and ensure that the voices of cities are heard by G20 leaders. Brazil's commitment to CHAMP shows the world what is possible when nations and cities align in pursuit of a just and sustainable energy transition."

"The U20 Summit offers an unparalleled platform for cities like Despeñaderos to have our voices heard on the global stage," said Mayor Carolina Basualdo, Despeñaderos Municipality, Argentina and GCoM Board Member."As we confront the challenges of climate vulnerability and rapid urbanization, we need international cooperation and financing more than ever to ensure a just transition. Through partnerships like CHAMP, cities can work hand-in-hand with their national governments to drive climate action that benefits both our communities, our countries, and the world."

This year's U20 follows the successes of the historic COP28 Local Climate Action Summit, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies-where over 500 mayors, governors, and other local leaders from over 60 countries came together to bridge global climate goals with local realities. It will also serve as an important platform to advance and share progress for the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP), a pledge from 74 countries to turbocharge collaboration between national and subnational governments on climate. Brazil was one of the first governments to join CHAMP and has launched a new Green Resilient Cities program to support their commitment, offering technical assistance to mayors across the country to develop plans aligned with the national NDC. In July 2024, the U20 Co-Chairs presented a statementto G20 Sherpas, including calls for G20 countries to work with cities in line with the CHAMP pledge.

Bloomberg Philanthropies' support for the U20 builds on its longstanding partnerships with the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Through the Breathe Citiesinitiative, Rio works alongside Bloomberg Philanthropies, C40 Cities, and the Clean Air Fund as one of 13 global cities committed to reducing air pollution by an average of 30% by 2030, compared to 2019. As a client city of Bloomberg Associates, Rio has received strategic guidance to enhance road safety, revitalize the Centro area, and modernize its business licensing process. As a member of the Bloomberg Philanthropies City Data Alliance, Rio received operational and technical coaching on how to leverage data and artificial intelligence to assess local needs, strengthen services, and codify policies that enshrine and spread results-based practices across their city hall organization. Leading cultural institutions in São Paulo, including Bienal de São Paulo, Pinacoteca de São Paulo, and others, offer enhanced experiences to the public through the Bloomberg Connects app. Sao Paulo has worked to reduce road crash fatalities and injuries with support of Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety, and in 2022, won a C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Awardfor its Sustainable School Menu, which reduces food insecurity via local production and climate-friendly options. Additionally, the Partnership for Healthy Citieshas supported efforts in both cities to combat noncommunicable diseases, promoting healthier lifestyles and improving public health outcomes.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies: 
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg's giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2023, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3 billion. For more information, please visit  bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, and X.

Media Contact:
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About Urban20:
20 Urban 20 is a city diplomacy initiative that brings together cities from G20 member states under a common framework to discuss global economic, climate and development issues. The cities form a common position and issue recommendations for consideration by the G20 presidency and heads of state, enhancing the role of cities as global economic and political leaders. The U20 initiative is permanently convened by C40 Cities and United Cities and Local Governments, under the leadership of a chair city that changes each year. Prior U20 cycles were chaired by Buenos Aires and Paris (2018), Tokyo (2019), Riyadh (2020), Rome and Milan (2021), Jakarta and West Java (2022) as well as Ahmedabad (2023).

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