FROM GFHS 2021 TO COP26: UNITING THE GLOBAL CITIES TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY

We have only 30 days left until the opening of the 16th Annual Session of Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS 2021), and 34 days to go before the pivotal COP 26 climate conference in Glasgow in November.

COP 26 will unite the world to tackle climate change and strive to turn the tide.

As an important part of COP 26, GFHS 2021 aims to unite the world’s cities to tackle climate change and move towards sustainable development, and will make positive contribution to the fruitful outcomes of COP 26.

So far, 27 authoritative organizations are already on board, including 10 major UN agencies, the Asian Development Bank and the African Development Bank, as well as a number of well-known international institutions, to jointly make a stronger all for accelerating transformation and innovation towards healthy, resilient and carbon-neutral cities.

At the same time, 100+ distinguished speakers will contribute to the three-day forum, reach a consensus on a set of outcomes and recommend the outstanding sustainable development practices and innovations. 

Draft programme of the three-day forum is available here.

You participation and voice are important for us to produce the final outcomes. 

If you haven’t signed up for the forum, please do so at your earliest convenience.

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With the climate alarm bells ringing at fever pitch, the extreme weather events coming with stronger intensity and frequency, and the pandemic casting a continuing impact, a growing number of populations, especially the low-income and vulnerable groups, is being dragged into increasingly precarious situations, making it more challenging to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The latest IPCC report has sounded the red alarm for human survival.

The report believes that there is "unambiguous" evidence that humans are responsible for climate change. 

The crisis is already here, but hope remains. 

The report pointed out that in the past year, a good number of countries have pledged to become carbon neutral by the middle of this century. 

If this can be achieved on a global scale, we could reach the goal set in the 2015 Paris Agreement by limiting global warming to 1.5 °C. 

The main purpose of choosing to release this report three months before COP26, which once again sounded the alarm, is to call for building global consensus and strengthen scientific base for climate action. 

The world is looking ahead to COP26.

At the just-concluded General Debate of the 76th UN General Assembly, the UN Secretary-General and leaders of various countries urged all mankind to build trust and unite together to tackle the pandemic and climate crisis. 

The leaders of the two major economies, China and the United States, announced new measures on different fronts to address climate change, which has shored up confidence for the world. 

António Guterres stressed that “We need more ambition from all countries in three key areas — mitigation, finance and adaptation. My message to every Member State is this:  Don’t wait for others to make the first move. Do your part.”

From GFHS 2021 to COP26, we must grasp the opportunities in cities and unite global urban stakeholders to tackle climate change and move towards sustainable development. 

As pointed out by the IPCC report and many thoughtful people, the future of the earth depends to a large extent on the choices made by mankind today. 

As a member of the human family, each and everyone can and should do their part.

We look forward to welcoming you at the opening of GFHS 2021 on October 27.

For more information please don't hesitate to contact the Secretariat of Global Forum on Human Settlements: christine.he@gfhsforum.org; sabrina.he@gfhsforum.org