The COP26, to be held in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November 2021, is a critical moment to raise ambitions and accelerate climate action at all levels. This current decade is the most vital period to reach the climate neutrality and 1.5ºC targets of the Paris Agreement. The second NDCs to be presented in Glasgow must reflect the urgency and ambitious action needed to respond to the climate emergency.

Updated plans and commitments need to include both ambitious mitigation and adaptation measures, as well as the important collaboration across levels of government, and sectors.

The Paris Agreement and its accompanying decisions acknowledge the importance of involving all levels of government, as well as other non-State actors for its implementation. It further confirms that adaptation is a global challenge with local, regional, national and international dimensions. COP26 aims to be the most inclusive climate convention to date: the COP for multi-level action.

In this context, the Secretariat is delighted to invite you to the high-level event that Regions4, with its flagship initiative RegionsAdapt, will organise at COP26.

The event “The leading role of regions in raising ambitions for adaptation and resilience” will look  at 5 years of good practices and experiences from the initiative and its members, paying attention at how regional governments contribute to raise ambition on adaptation and how they foster a multi-level governance approach to climate action by collaborating with local and national counterparts.

It will further reveal common challenges and provide recommendations for policymakers to guide the development and implementation of national, regional and local adaptation plans and strategies. Furthermore, it will show how mainstreaming adaptation through key relevant sectors can help accelerate ambition and how regional governments are working hand in hand with their national and local counterparts, fostering a multi-level governance approach for climate action.

This side event will be part of the official agenda of the Local Government and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Multi-The event will be a hybrid event, with participants attending virtually if they are not present at COP, and physically if the participants are present and have access to the COP26 blue zone. Those present at COP can join the event on the Multi-Level Action Pavillion.

The event will take place on Monday, November 8, 2021 at 2PM GMT and will have a duration of 90′.

Guest speakers include: Mr. Gonzalo Muñoz, UN High Level Climate Action Champion, Secretary Wade Crowfoot, CA Natural Resources Agency (CNRA), California, Hon. Zuhal Demir, Minister of Justice and Enforcement, Environment, Energy and Tourism in the Government of Flanders, and Ms Arantxa Tapia, Minister of Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment, Basque Country. The event will be moderated by Dr. Susan Chomba, Global Ambassador of the UNFCCC’s Race to Zero and Race to Resilience campaigns.

Access the full concept note of the event in English, Spanish and French.

Register to the event through this link.

The event is organised by Regions4 and co-organised by members: the Basque Country, Gossas, CONGOPE Ecuador, São Paulo, Mancomunidad Regional de los Andes, Lombardy, Catalonia, Flanders and Scotland.

With the support of partners: Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), ORU-Fogar, UNFCCC Race to Resilience Campaign, European Committee of Regions (CoR), Assembly of European Regions, CDP, Climate-KIC, World Resource Institute (WRI), Local Governments & Municipal Authorities Constituency (LGMA).

The event will have simultaneous translation into English, Spanish and French.

Further Information

For other COP26 and Pre-COP Activities click here.