Cities ask for billions at G20 talks

Urban leaders call for multilevel governance, affordable housing and zero-emission transport

- Sheree Bega

Global city leaders meeting in Johannesburg and Tshwane for the first African Urban 20 summit (U20) have urged the G20 to unlock $800 billion in climate finance and place cities at the forefront of addressing climate change, inequality and housing, among other global crises.

The summit, convened by C40 Cities and the United Cities and Local Governments, brought together more than 30 leaders and is one of the key platforms for influencing and informing the G20 summit of world leaders to be hosted by South Africa at the end of November.

It followed the U20 sherpa meeting in Tshwane in June, where nearly 30 cities from G20 countries discussed their joint priorities for the policy recommendations to the G20.

The outcome was a U20 communiqué, endorsed by 39 cities including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Tshwane, Accra, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, Paris, London, New York and Sydney. The document sets out a vision for “enhanced multilevel cooperation and renewed global collaboration” with cities at the centre of decision-making.

The communiqué underscores how cities are indispensable partners to national governments. With more than 55% of the world’s population living in urban areas, cities are where innovation, economic activity and social life converge.

“Without cities, national strategies remain abstract. With them, they gain purpose and impact,” the document notes.