Organised alongside (and to put pressure on) COP 15 by the C40 network, a group of the 40 largest cities in the world, the “Summit for Mayors” brought together 80 mayors over the three days, representing 350 million people and a sixth of the world economy. The mayors present included Adam Kimbisa (Dar es Salaam), Michael Bloomberg (New York), Mauricio Macri (Buenos Aires), David Miller (Toronto), Gilberto Kassab (Sao Paulo), Boris Johnson (London), Marcelo Ebrard (Mexico City), Amos Masondo (Johannesburg) and many others, including Ritt Bjerregaard, Mayor of Copenhagen and host of the summit. It was the opportunity for experience sharing and declarations.

Faced with the inability of the national governments to reach an agreement, the feeling shared by the different local delegations wavered between vexation and a sense of greater responsibility. As summed up by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California, and David Miller, Mayor of Toronto and Chair of the C40, “we cannot rely on the national governments… they are too slow”, “the battle against climate change will be won or lost in cities”.

According to Marcelo Ebrard, Mayor of Mexico City, this schism between the national and local authorities is seen at three levels: the speed of reaction, the scope of action and the need for rapid results. Indeed, over the course of the interventions and discussions, two elements emerged to explain the local will to act against climate change: the effects of climate change, which are felt very keenly at the local level, and pressure from voters.

Whereas the intergovernmental negotiations are making no headway, the mayors and the networks supporting them have gone away satisfied. As reiterated by Edward Yau Tang-wah, the Hong Kong Environment Minister, “we are not here to say that we are doing well, but to say that we can do more”. Above all, this Summit for Mayors was the opportunity to strengthen links between the mayors of the major cities of the world, to discuss the different joint actions possible and especially to share experience. Whether during the dinners, the transfers by bus or the sessions themselves, the mayors made the most of the three days to compare their actions, visions and ideas, and to learn from others. Furthermore, lobbying to ensure the local authorities appear in the wording of the final agreement text was a success. All the texts in discussion or in circulation (within closed or more open circles) mention the role of the sub-national authorities in mitigation and adaptation efforts, along with the need to include them as stakeholders in policy-making.

The request sent to national governments is simple: 1) a directorate general (Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD, stressed the responsibility of the public authorities in the definition of a framework to provide the necessary visibility to private investors); 2) greater responsibilities to ensure they have the room for manoeuvre needed to meet their commitments (Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank, explained that the level of authority is the first question he asks a mayor before discussing any possible cooperation); 3) additional financial resources; and 4) a seat at the negotiating table, especially when the financing, technology transfer and flexible mechanisms are defined.

The understanding seemed to have reached its peak when Anibal Ibarra, Mayor of Buenos Aires, suggested linking municipal green procurement policies in order to put pressure on markets and producers and thereby benefit from economies of scale. But several cracks were already began to show: in response to a question from a journalist, “which is the greenest city?”, to which Ritt Bjerregaard evasively replied that there was no rivalry between cities, Boris Johnson – as is his wont – went straight to the point, stating that cities were in fact in competition, and that they should take advantage of the fact. In addition, Adam Kimbisa, Mayor of Dar es Salaam, reiterated that no climate policy would be a success in Africa if it did not first contribute to poverty reduction. Was this an easy meeting because nothing was at stake, or the emergence of a real multi-level climate governance?