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| Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments | |
|---|---|
| Name | Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments |
| Formation | 2013 |
| Type | Coalition of local and regional associations |
| Headquarters | Barcelona |
| Leaders | Various municipal leaders |
Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments is a coalition convened to coordinate collective action among municipal and subnational associations such as United Cities and Local Governments, Cities Alliance, UN-Habitat, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and ICLEI. It functions as an advocacy and coordination mechanism in international policy fora including the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, engaging with actors like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the African Union.
The Taskforce operates as a platform linking networks such as Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, Eurocities, UCLG Aspac, South African Local Government Association and Association of Netherlands Municipalities to multilateral processes including New Urban Agenda, Paris Agreement, Habitat III and the Sustainable Development Goals. It mobilizes mayors and regional presidents from entities like Barcelona City Council, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Mexico City Government, São Paulo City Hall and Seoul Metropolitan Government to present common positions at events such as the Climate Action Summit, the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Formed in the lead-up to Habitat III in 2016, the coalition emerged from consultations involving associations such as UCLG, ICLEI, Metropolis, World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments and networks like Municipal Finance Officers Association and Commonwealth Local Government Forum. Its origins trace to earlier multilateral engagements at the Millennium Development Goals review and the negotiation processes for the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework, where subnational voices from cities like New York City, London, Tokyo, Copenhagen and Melbourne sought unified representation.
Membership comprises national associations and regional networks including UCLG Africa, UCLG Europe, UCLG Latin America, Asia-Pacific City Summit, League of Cities of the Philippines and municipal coalitions like Mayors Migration Council. Governance involves steering groups and secretariats hosted by partners such as UCLG, ICLEI, C40, Metropolis and Cities Alliance, coordinating with financial institutions like the European Investment Bank, the African Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. Individual participants often include mayors, governors, presidents of councils, chief executives of bodies like Greater London Authority and Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
The Taskforce seeks to amplify subnational representation in international negotiations including UNFCCC COP, UN-Habitat Assembly, G20 engagements and World Urban Forum sessions, aligning local policy priorities with instruments such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the New Urban Agenda, the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework. Objectives include advocacy for localisation of commitments advanced by actors like the United Nations Secretary-General, coordination of technical assistance with agencies such as UNDP, World Health Organization and UNESCO, and mobilization of finance from lenders like the World Bank Group and philanthropic organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Initiatives have included coordinated policy statements, joint submissions to negotiation processes at COP21, COP26, Habitat III and the High-level Political Forum, as well as capacity-building programs with partners such as UN-Habitat, OECD, Asian Development Bank and Inter-American Development Bank. Programmatic activities range from resilience planning with Sendai Framework actors, climate mitigation networks aligned with C40 projects, to finance instruments developed with the European Commission and the Green Climate Fund. The Taskforce has organized mayoral declarations at events like the Climate Summit for Local Leaders, exchanges involving ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, and technical fora with institutions like Mercy Corps, Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and Cities Alliance.
It collaborates closely with supranational bodies including United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Development Programme, UN-Habitat and regional organizations such as the African Union Commission, European Committee of the Regions and Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Partnerships extend to finance and research entities like the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, OECD, Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy and academic institutions such as Harvard University, London School of Economics, MIT, University of Cape Town and Tsinghua University for evidence-based policy work.
Supporters cite influences on formal recognition of local and regional roles in instruments like the New Urban Agenda, formal inputs into UNFCCC negotiations, and elevated mayoral profiles at summits such as the Climate Action Summit and the World Urban Forum, noting practical outcomes in cities including Medellín, Curitiba, Helsinki, Bangalore and Bogotá. Critics argue the Taskforce can replicate existing representation by entities like UCLG and ICLEI, raise concerns about democratic accountability in engagements with institutions such as the World Bank and European Investment Bank, and question effectiveness compared with city networks like C40 and Global Covenant of Mayors in delivering finance and implementation on the ground.
Category:International coalitions