New commitments at the COP30 Local Leaders Forum aim to bridge local and national climate strategies and boost implementation
RIO DE JANEIRO (November 5, 2025) — The COP30 Local Leaders Forum in Rio de Janeiro, held ahead of this year’s UN climate conference in Belém, concluded today with national and subnational leaders making bold new commitments to strengthen city- and state-level climate action while advancing the Coalition for High Ambition Multi-Level Partnerships (CHAMP), a group of 77 countries committed to greater multilevel cooperation in developing national climate plans.
Cities are responsible for 70% of global energy-related CO2 emissions and over 60% of global energy use. Bold urban climate action can sharply cut emissions while simultaneously driving economic growth, creating jobs and improving quality of life. Yet, despite long-standing recognition of their importance, subnational climate strategies have often remained disconnected from national climate plans.
At the COP30 Local Leaders Forum, World Resources Institute (WRI), Bloomberg Philanthropies and Brazil’s Ministry of Cities convened more than a dozen ministers, mayors and governors from CHAMP countries — which together represent 65% of global GDP and 37% of emissions — to share lessons learned and accelerate implementation. The resulting commitments aim to close the gap between local initiatives and national strategies, by institutionalizing support across all levels of governance.
Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions and Founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, announced a $168-million commitment from Bloomberg Philanthropies to usher in the next era of local climate leadership and multilevel collaboration.
“Mayors and governors are showing the world that cities and states can lead the way when it comes to fighting climate change,” said Bloomberg. “This investment will unlock new opportunities for leaders — in Brazil and around the world — as they partner with national governments, scale data-driven, proven solutions that cut emissions, and build a stronger and healthier world.”
Through this support, WRI will deepen its role in CHAMP, strengthening governance structures, expanding in-country partnerships and helping cities, states and regions deliver impact at scale.
“Local leaders are frontrunners in delivering solutions that both cut emissions and improve lives today,” said Ani Dasgupta, President and CEO of World Resources Institute. “When cities work hand in hand with regional and national governments — as we’re seeing in Brazil and around the world — their impact multiplies. By building on what works, we can turn local progress into lasting change that powers a more just, thriving and sustainable global economy.”
In Brazil, WRI Brasil will partner with C40 Cities, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, the National Front of Mayors (FNP), and government, multilateral and private sector partners, to help make the country a global model of climate federalism, supported by robust finance mechanisms to unlock mitigation and adaptation projects at the local level.
Building on these efforts, Bloomberg Philanthropies, in partnership with the Mitigation Action Facility, WRI Brasil, Brazil’s Ministry of Cities, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and BTG Pactual, announced the creation of a 80-million-euro ($93-million) E-Bus Credit Enhancement Fund for Brazil, expected to unlock financing for more than 1,700 electric buses.
“Almost 90% of public transport in Brazil relies on city buses,” said Luis Antonio Lindau, Director of WRI Brasil Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. “Transitioning them to electric models is essential to improving quality of life for millions of citizens and helping the country get on track toward net-zero by 2050. As countries and financial institutions move from commitments to action, blended finance mechanisms like this credit enhancement fund are key to making electric mobility a reality.”
To date, CHAMP countries have submitted 50% of all new national climate commitments, or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), ahead of COP30, part of a broader wave of national-local collaboration reshaping the global climate process. COP28 in Dubai and COP29 in Baku both had more formal roles for mayors and governors, and COP30’s Urban Ministerial on Urbanization and Climate Change will serve as a central platform to advance enhanced NDCs, improved finance flows, affordable and resilient housing, and inclusive economic transformation.
“Climate action works best when it starts locally, where it touches people’s daily lives,” said Rogier van den Berg, Global Director for WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. “When cities and national governments align, they can deliver real change — for people, for nature and for the climate. Innovative local approaches can drive national policy and inspire solutions around the world.”
In the year ahead, WRI will continue helping governments convert climate commitments into action, mobilize financing and strengthen local leadership — turning local solutions into global impact.
About World Resources Institute
WRI works to improve people’s lives, protect and restore nature and stabilize the climate. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations.
