Cities are the engines of the economy, with most production, trade and transportation occurring within urban settings. They can provide significant contributions to bridging the global emissions gap through independent ambitious and deeper emission reduction targets that are complementary to national commitments. An analysis undertaken by the C40 Group found that the emission reduction potential of urban action is above 2.8 Gt CO₂ eq below ‘business as usual’ levels by 2020.

The technical expert meetings examine good practice policy options and technologies, and ways to increase the financial flows for implementation.

The policy options represent one of the key outcomes of the technical examination process and highlight replicable and scalable good practices, approaches and technologies with significant mitigation potential, which could be tapped in the period up to 2020 in many countries across the world. 

The Virtual Expo showcases many relevant initiatives and projects submitted by Parties and observer organizations as well as video and printed materials related to the examined thematic areas. The Expo demonstrates a wealth of climate action implemented by different actors and stakeholders.

International cooperation plays a critical role in advancing global climate change agenda and addressing new challenges and opportunities. Multiple collaborative success stories are inspiring action around the world showcasing enormous potential for enhanced cooperation at local, regional, national and global levels. The technical examination process brought together a number of international organizations, partnerships and initiatives working on advancing climate action in the examined thematic areas. 

Leading international organizations and partnerships:

ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability http://www.iclei.org is an association of over 1,000 metropolises, cities and urban regions dedicated to sustainable development. Its mission is to build and serve a worldwide movement of local governments to achieve tangible improvements in global sustainability with a specific focus on environmental conditions through cumulative local actions.

C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group http://www.c40.org is a network of world megacities committed to addressing climate change. Acting both locally and collaboratively, C40 Cities has a meaningful global impact on reducing both GHG emissions and climate risks.

The technical papers prepared under the technical examination process demonstrate mitigation benefits of policies, practices and technologies showcasing the best practices and success stories in the examined thematic areas.