The CitiesIPCC Cities and Climate Change Science Conference, held in Edmonton, Canada, March 5-7, created enhanced understanding of the impacts of climate change at the urban level, the range of possible responses, and the role of cities in the implementation of the Paris Agreement and other international global agendas. The Conference was co-organized by UN-Habitat, UN Environment, Cities Alliance, C40, ICLEI, Future Earth, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the World Climate Research Programme, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and United Cities and Local Governments.

Global greenhouse gas emissions from human activity have increased significantly since the preindustrial era, driven by socio-economic progress and population growth. This has led to unprecedented atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) recorded over the last 800,000 years (IPCC 2014a). The increase in atmospheric GHG concentrations leads to global warming and climate change. Climate change is increasingly felt around the world, with negative impacts affecting more and more people worldwide. As a result global attention to climate change has increased significantly over the past decades, and more and more countries, businesses and individuals are discussing, demanding, and taking, climate action.

Sustainable Urbanization in the Paris Agreement’ – a comparative review of Nationally Determined Contributions for Urban Content”, a UN-Habitat publication coming on the heels of Habitat III, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and COP22. The adoption of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) on 20 October 2016, and the entry into force of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change two weeks later, on 4 November 2016, are a strong first step toward the immediate implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, in urban- and climate change related matters.

In this final version of the publication, UN-Habitat analyzes the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) towards the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, with a special focus on the urban context, in order to understand better the roles of member states in urban climate action. The result is very encouraging: over two-thirds – 113 out of 164 – of the submitted NDCs show clear urban references and content, establishing the relationship between sustainable urbanization and climate action. Through the New Urban Agenda and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, UN-Habitat stands ready to support member states to implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

On 5th June 2017 at the World Environment Day celebrated in the Myanmar capital city Nay Pyi Taw, H.E. the President of the Union of the Republic of Myanmar, U Htin Kyaw, addressing a large audience of ministers, ambassadors and development partner representatives, stated that “climate change is a threat to development”. Myanmar is indeed one of the most vulnerable in the world to the effects of climate change. However, the country is now better equipped to address its challenges as it has formulated the Myanmar National Climate Change Policy, and the Myanmar Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan. The President thanked the Myanmar Climate Change Alliance (MCCA) for assistance and indicated that the policies “will be launched soon”. The Strategy aims at turning Myanmar into a climate-resilient country by 2030.