WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS OF GCOM MEMBERSHIP?

Any city, town, county, or other local government in Canada can commit to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy – regardless of size or location.

Canadian cities or local governments wishing to commit to the Global Covenant can do so here

The key principles listed below have been developed by the Global Covenant of Mayors Secretariat in consultation with a broad array of stakeholders..

Further materials, tools and support specific to Canada are currently under development in consultation with national stakeholders. Please check back to this website for future updates. To let us know what you think, please contact us here

Local governments that have made a commitment to either the Covenant of Mayors or the Compact of Mayors prior to the merger are automatically considered signatories to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy.

The commitment will consider regional priorities on commitments to mitigation, adaptation and resilience and/or access to energy, maintaining an integrated approach to tackling climate change.

Key data and plans will be made publicly available. This plan should set out how a city or local government intends to implement the commitments on climate mitigation, adaptation, resilience and/or access to sustainable energy.

Cities and local governments committing to the GCoM as of 1 January 2017 will need to establish a target covering the territory of the local authority for GHG emissions reductions, make a commitment to tackle climate change adaptation and resilience, and increase access to clean and affordable energy.

Cities and local governments should strive to set targets that are at least as ambitious, and preferably more ambitious, than their respective government’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. Further, they need to be in line with National Adaptation Plans (where these exist) and be consistent with the principles around energy access and urban sustainability embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

To make a commitment operational, all cities and local governments joining the GCoM need to establish an action plan to meet their stated targets. This plan should be based on a through analysis of the local situation (e.g. main sources of emissions and their respective reduction potentials, main climate risks and vulnerabilities and their associated current/future challenges).

Cities and local governments will have to report progress against established commitments on a regular basis. Guidance will be made available to support signatories at the start and throughout the reporting process, as well as when any updates are made to the process.

Cities and local governments are, therefore, encouraged to take an active part in consultative processes within each region to ensure the initiative best meets local needs.

Cities making new commitments to the Global Covenant of Mayors will have at least two years from initial commitment to submit a plan.

The impact of their actions will be measured and monitored over time.