UN Division for Sustainable Development

Case Study Detail Record

Organization type:	Major Groups

Submitting organization:

Affiliation:	- Local authorities

Initiative Title:	Climate Alliance

Internet links:	http://www.climatealliance.org

Scope:	Regional: - Europe and North America

Status:	Ongoing

Timeframe:	Start: End:

Lead Institution:	Climate Alliance

Stakeholders/Partners:	European local authorities, inhabitants of European participating cities, indigenious rainforest peoples

Relevent issues:	- Control measures derived from the Montreal Protocol - Monitoring of atmospheric conditions - Policies and programmes to address air pollution from other major point sources - Policies and programmes to address air pollution from transportation sources - Reducing health risks from air pollutants - Mitigation policies/measures - Voluntary initiatives - Consumer education and awareness-raising - Renewable energy including hydro power

Objectives/Challenges:

• Promote and facilitate cooperation between European cities and indigenous peoples
• Promote awareness of and facilitate initiatives to protect rainforests
• Disseminate experiences and best practice management of local initiatives in urban planning, transport, recycling and public awareness that decrease energy consumption, increase energy efficiency, use renewable energy, and mitigate the effects of climate change

Policy Options:

• Facilitate local sustainable development initiatives through urban planning, transport, waste disposal, energy use and public awareness strategies
• Cooperate with indigenous peoples to protect rainforests
• Cooperate with other local authorities and share experiences in order to develop best practices
• Develop a regional body to promote cooperation among regional local authorities on sustainable development issues

Summary:

The Climate Alliance of European Cities with Indigenous Rainforest Peoples is Europe’s largest thematic network with a membership over 1300 European cities and municipalities in 14 countries. Joining cities adopt the 1990 Climate Alliance Manifesto and 2000 Climate Alliance Declaration, in which they commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, dispense with the use of tropical timber, and support the indigenous peoples of the Amazon in their efforts to conserve the tropical rainforest. The Climate Alliance’s Secretariat facilitates exchange of experiences, promotes the cooperation of European cities with indigenous peoples, offers best practice guidelines and joint actions, and represents the interests of local authorities committed to climate protection at EU and international levels. Climate Alliance has developed and disseminates to its members a structured strategic framework defining cross-sectoral tasks for political and institutional integration and climate protection, a range of actions at local levels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from a wide range of sectors including a greenhouse gas inventory for the city or municipality, the monitoring of individual measures, and a set of progress indicators.