UN Conference on Climate Change - Copenhagen, Denmark, 7-18 December 2009

“Mobilising citizens: regions and cities working together for climate protection”

16 December, Schumann Room, EU Pavilion, Bella Centre

Speech by Dubravka Suica, Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe

Dear colleagues,

It is a great honour to speak to you on behalf of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. Unfortunately, our acting President, Ian Micallef, who is also an active member of the Committee of the Regions, is unable to attend this Conference; his presence would have been very symbolic of the great possibilities for synergies between the Congress and the Committee of the Regions.

The need for such synergies, the need for partnership between local and regional authorities the world over is evident at this Conference. Joining our forces in the face of the global challenge of climate change is an imperative of the day. We need to work together to mobilise our citizens, exchange our experiences and coordinate our positions.

I am pleased that cooperation between the Congress and the Committee of the Regions is now better structured in the framework of the new agreement, signed just last November. In particular in the field of sustainable territorial development and climate protection, we look forward to greater interaction between our committees, commissions, working groups and rapporteurs, dealing with similar issues.

The Congress is very much in line with the positions of the Committee of the Regions as the voice of territorial communities within the EU in negotiations of the climate agreement. We welcome and fully support the European Union’s leadership and position of taking local and regional authorities on board in Copenhagen.

For its part, the Congress has a distinct and truly pan-European dimension, and the vocation of pooling the experiences of local and regional authorities from the entire Europe of 47 countries. I find it particular important that the Congress represents a cooperation platform for communities from 20 countries that are not members of the European Union – and yet, whose contribution to combating climate change is indispensable.

I am speaking about big industrial nations and regions, and big polluters. I am speaking about Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, South-East Europe, the South Caucasus. Their local and regional authorities must also have a voice at these negotiations, must also have a place in the climate agreement, and the Congress of the Council of Europe is their channel for becoming part of European local and regional action on climate. We need the strength and ingenuity of all communities – there is never too many to make governments worldwide hear our voice and listen to us.

Without repeating the previous speakers, I would like to stress that mitigation and adaptation, are the two sides of the same coin. Adapting our communities to the impact of climate change before it happens, reducing their vulnerability and improving their resilience is as much a priority today as dealing with the consequences. We welcome the concrete action and decisions of the EU leadership on financing the adaptation measures in developing countries. Indeed, putting such measures in place is the primary responsibility of municipalities and regions.

At the same time, mitigation and adaptation are two evident areas in which local and regional authorities are making a tremendous contribution. The Congress has acted on both of them, pointing time and time again to the importance of local and regional action for reaching national binding objectives. However, this action should not be limited to energy use and reducing emissions – the larger issue is raising the quality of local governance and strengthening institutional capacities of local and regional authorities throughout the world.

This is the basis for the sustainable management at grassroots where most consumption and most emissions take place. Without it, our action will always be that of catching up, not anticipating. However, it is next to impossible to achieve good governance in a non-democratic framework; it must be the direct result of democracy-building and our efforts to sustain democratic development in Europe and beyond.

This is where the Council of Europe and its Congress come in with their work on democracy, human rights and the rule of law. We, in the Congress insist on including the human rights dimension in our action on climate. Health protection, proper education, appropriate housing, drinkable water, decent living and working conditions in general – these are some of the ingredients of a healthy environment, building which is the only lasting and sustainable response to climate challenge.

Whatever the outcome of this Conference, we will pursue our efforts in this direction. I hope that we will all join together, all the associations and networks representing villages, towns, cities, provinces, regions – all the communities of people. We will join together to say: It is not governments alone. It is local and regional first and foremost. It is not mitigation and adaptation alone. It is governance, institutional capacity, and the rights of citizens first and foremost.

And our voice will be heard.