The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy in Latin America (GCoM-LAC) was launched in Chile during the third Chilean Mayors Forum on Climate Change (Foro de Alcaldes ante el Cambio Climático Chile-2017), an event attended by national and local authorities, representatives of international partners, and civil society stakeholders.

Ms Stella Zervoudaki, European Union Ambassador to Chile, praised local leaders around the world for their actions, stating: “You can count on Europe’s support as a key-ally in this global fight against climate change.”

The President of Chile, Ms Michelle Bachelet, said that to achieve global climate action cooperation between local, national and international levels is needed. She argued that “inclusive and sustainable development – on which we should insist – depends on the robustness of three pillars: the State, from central to local level; business, with responsible and innovative enterprises; and citizens, with their organisational capacity and voice.”

Chile joins Argentina, Brazil and Colombia as a Latin American country that has embraced the Global Covenant of Mayors. The Chilean branch of the GCoM-LAC will develop activities to engage cities and support them in the development of their local action plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.