Local climate action, water, and waste were among the main topics on the second day of COP30

Local climate action, water, and waste were among the main topics on the second day of COP30 cop30.br

Maria Semenova

Climate measures must work directly in places where their real impact will be felt by communities and regions

The COP30 Climate Summit is underway in Belém, Brazil. The overarching theme of the second day of the event is the importance of implementing climate measures not only globally, but also locally, taking into account specific contexts and opportunities.

This is discussed on the summit platform.

Main events

  • Combating global warming. The Beat the Heat Implementation Drive initiative is moving towards the implementation of planned measures. The goal is to reduce heat-induced risks for 3.5 billion people. The plan covers 185 cities in 36 countries. At the local level, both nature-based and technological solutions are to be implemented to mitigate the impact of high temperatures – from creating parks to public procurement of energy-efficient cooling equipment. A financial portfolio for the project is currently being formed.
  • Multilevel governance. At COP, the launch of the Plan to Accelerate Multilevel Governance (PAS) was announced. This relates to the local implementation of national environmental ambitions, including project management under the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of 100 countries. The plan provides for training 6,000 officials, as well as expanding access to financing for environmental projects.
  • Green construction. The Buildings Breakthrough initiative has presented standards for sustainable architecture and buildings with near-zero energy consumption.
  • Organic waste management. Under the No Organic Waste (NOW) plan, $30 million has been allocated for measures aimed at reducing methane emissions from organic waste by 30% by 2030. Among the plans is collecting 20 million t of surplus food annually, which should provide food for 50 million people. The program's initiatives will create new jobs, aiming to integrate about 1 million people into the economy.
  • Water resources. To implement water security measures by 2030, a $20 billion portfolio has been established under the Latin America and Caribbean Water Investment Programme. This involves projects for drinking water supplies, protection from droughts and floods, and the renewal of irrigation networks. During the ministerial meeting "Waters of Change", a joint statement was adopted declaring that water will become a key element of global climate adaptation.

According to EcoPolitic, the leaders of the largest polluting countries decided not to attend COP30, so the European Union retains a forced leadership role in the fight against climate change.

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