The small island nation of Fiji held the presidency of the 23rd annual "conference of the parties" event, which took place in Bonn (Germany) from 6 to 17 November. For the first time, an island nation at immediate and profound risk from climate change was in charge of the annual meeting of global leaders to discuss climate mitigation.

For Fiji, climate change is a pressing threat, with sea-level rise and the increase in extreme weather liable to cause tremendous damage. The London School of Economics estimates that across the Pacific Islands, up to 1.7 million people could be displaced due to climate change by 2050. For Fijians, success at COP23 was not simply a diplomatic imperative, but vital for safeguarding the future of the country.

ICLEI worked to raise the voice of cities and regions at COP23 through the Climate Summit of Local and Regional Leaders, the extended Summit Dialogues, and a diverse programme hosted within the Cities and Regions Pavilion.

One of ICLEI’s most significant achievements was the acclimation of the Bonn – Fiji commitment. Hundreds of participants at the Climate Summit of Local and Regional Leaders adopted the commitment by acclamation, signaling their intention to work in partnership with all levels of government to successfully deliver the Paris Agreement.

The summit was attended by over 330 political leaders and more than 1000 delegates.

"Welcome to the power and potential of local and regional governments from all continents!" said Ashok Sridharan, Mayor of Bonn and First Vice President of ICLEI. "We are here to be part of the process from the first step onward. We are here to forge new coalitions, to act and collaborate for our climate and to encourage civil society, businesses and our peers in cities and regions to join the #Uniting4Climate movement."

Jerry Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the current and former governors of California gave keynote addresses at the summit.

"Cities, states and regions hold tremendous power, especially when you work together," said Arnold Schwarzenegger. "We are the laboratories of reform, we are the engines of innovation and we are where the action is."

“We are at a closer level to the people, so that gives us a particular directness and energy with which we can carry out our work of dealing with this overarching challenge of climate change,” stated Governor Brown.

Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the European Committee of the Regions, the EU's assembly for local and regional politicians, said: "Paris will be remembered for uniting the world's national governments against climate change. This declaration will ensure Bonn is remembered for uniting the world's regions and cities to deliver on those promises. The declaration shows a huge number of mayors and governors are more united now and showing more ambition on climate action than ever before".

"Cities cannot win the fight on their own, but without cities, the fight cannot be won at all," said Hans-Joachim Fuchtel, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of Germany.

Mayor Sridharan delivered the Bonn - Fiji Commitment to António Guterres, the UN Secretary General, at the COP23 closing ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nicola Sturgeon, Prime Minister of Scotland, made clear that climate action is needed at the level of local and regional governments. “We must now urgently meet the specific requirements of the Paris Agreement. This entails not only more ambitious goals in the next two decades, but also immediate action in the next two years. Addressing climate change is a moral obligation,” said Sturgeon.

In the run up to the event, much was made in the media of the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and the lack of US engagement with the COP. Christiana Figueres, one of the chief negotiators of the agreement, noted that there has been a surge of support for the Paris Agreement at local and regional level as a result.

At the end of COP23, delegates agreed to launch the next steps towards higher climate action ambition before 2020.

“There has been positive momentum all around us. And Fiji is especially gratified how the global community has embraced our concept of a Grand Coalition for greater ambition linking national governments with states and cities, civil society, the private sector and ordinary men and women around the world,” said Frank Bainimarama, President of the conference and Prime Minister of Fiji.

The ICLEI-supported Global Lead City Network on Sustainable Procurement (GLCN on SP) held its 3rd annual High Level Assembly at COP23. The event saw cities involved in the network share their sustainable purchasing strategies.

For more information, visit citiesandregions.org