Just days before COP30 in Belém, the European Union took a major step towards strengthened multilevel cooperation on climate at home and globally - endorsing the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP) and adopting an EU 2040 climate target to solidify the EU’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the UNFCCC.

At the Local Leaders Forum in Rio de Janeiro, EU Vice-President Teresa Ribera officially announced the EU’s endorsement of CHAMP - marking a milestone in Europe’s commitment to work closely with cities and regions to deliver the Paris Agreement. Earlier the same day, EU Environment Ministers agreed on the EU 2040 climate target and the bloc’s NDC submission.The Vice-President highlighted in her speech that it is local action that changes daily lives and that the fight against climate change rests on concrete action in the cities and regions of the world.

Cities welcome signal of stronger multilevel cooperation
Mayor of Malmö and ICLEI President Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, attending the Forum, commended the European Commission and Vice-President Ribera for the EU’s endorsement of CHAMP, calling it “a strong signal that Europe is committed to a climate governance model that sees cities and regions as equal partners in shaping and delivering the transition.”

Launched by the COP28 Presidency and Bloomberg Philanthropies, CHAMP brings together 77 countries and their local governments in a shared pledge to strengthen cooperation across all levels of government in planning, financing, and implementing climate strategies.

The test ahead: implementing CHAMP
With the adoption of the 2040 target, EU Environment Ministers also approved an update of the bloc’s NDCs, committing to “involving and empowering all governance levels to implement climate action.” The submission notes that “37% of worldwide emissions can be reduced only through multilevel cooperation,” underscoring the need for national, regional, and local collaboration.

ICLEI calls on the European Commission and Member States to translate this momentum into concrete governance and funding measures by:

• Ensuring the next EU budget empowers local governments to act with adequate financing, rather than centralising funds.
• Locking in permanent multilevel climate and energy dialogues in the revised Governance Regulation to create feedback loops and accelerate delivery.

For more information about the Local Leaders Forum, CHAMP, and ICLEI’s role at COP30, click here.