COP reflections and how local actions can drive global progress

Six years ago, Urban Foresight was in Paris to chair an event at COP21.

We’d been working with the European Commission over the preceding months on the Paris Declaration on Electro Mobility and Climate Change.

The declaration was launched by the French Minister Ségolène Royal, who also served as President of COP21.

Despite the surprising amount of work, and the significance of this rolling into the landmark Paris Agreement, I recall feeling that our job wasn’t even half done.

The reality is that global commitments only have an impact when they’re followed by local actions.

Local actions require a fundamentally different set of actors and solutions. These people have different motivations to the policymakers at COP and face multiple barriers to action.

While this sounds daunting, it’s where Urban Foresight excels. We’ve spent the last ten years helping regions and local governments to implement projects that have significantly reduced carbon emissions.

It’s now 2021 and we’re back at COP. We’re supporting various events across our home nations and hosting international visitors to showcase our projects in the UK and overseas.

Sharing these experiences has allowed us to reflect on what we’ve achieved since Paris and why this gives us reason to be hopeful for the future.

Urban Foresight is a mission-driven business and a campaigning consultancy. We’re proud to be playing a part in addressing the climate emergency, but we’re motivated to do much, much more.

Local actions can drive global progress, but only when there’s universal commitments to change.

COP26 will only be a success if it results in urgent, targeted, and meaningful actions and investment.

Our team is primed and ready to help. If you’d like to work with us, or be part of our mission, then please do get in touch.

Image credit: Giorgio Trovato