CHAMP Subnational Advisory Council Convenes at COP31 to Elevate Local Leadership and Set 2027 Priorities

ANTALYA, Türkiye — Mayors, governors, and regional leaders from across five continents gathered at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, for the second meeting of the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP) Subnational Advisory Council (SAC). During the session, leaders endorsed the joint CHAMP COP31 Statement, establishing shared priorities for 2027 to ensure local climate action is fully integrated into global climate policy and negotiations.

Established during London Climate Action Week 2026, the CHAMP SAC represents subnational perspectives directly to the coalition’s 80 endorsing nations. The council consists of five mayors and three regional leaders serving two-year terms, co-facilitated by the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) and the Under2 Coalition, with C40 Cities and the World Resources Institute (WRI) serving as the Secretariat.Key Pillars of the CHAMP COP31 Statement

The statement marks the first time national and subnational leaders within the coalition have issued a unified call to translate global climate ambition into local execution. The statement outlines priorities across three core pillars:

• Strengthening Multilevel Governance: Enhancing the recognition of subnational governments within global climate processes, such as the Second Global Stocktake (GST2), and using local expertise to track progress.
• Catalyzing Partnerships for Local Delivery: Aligning Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and sectoral goals with local implementation plans.
• Scaling Up and Unlocking Climate Finance: Improving project preparation pipelines and expanding direct access to climate finance for cities, states, and regions.

Leadership Perspectives

Subnational leaders and international officials emphasized the crucial role of local governments in meeting climate goals:

• Anne Hidalgo, Chair of the CHAMP Subnational Advisory Council & GCoM Global Ambassador: “Cities and regions are delivering climate action every single day… The Subnational Advisory Council exists to ensure this ambitious local action helps shape international goals and priorities, and that national governments and subnational leaders plan, finance and deliver together.”
• Ambassador Antônio Da Costa, CHAMP Co-Chair & Chief International Advisor at Brazil’s Ministry of Cities: “Climate goals are only meaningful if they are positively impacting people’s lives… The CHAMP COP31 Statement is a call for national governments and subnational leaders to work as true partners.”
• Governor Eduardo Leite (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil): Highlighted that national ambition and local delivery must be aligned to drive climate action at scale.
• Minister Thekla Walker (Baden-Württemberg, Germany): Stressed that subnational leaders must actively shape decisions to fulfill the requirements of the Paris Agreement.
• Mayor Mohamed Sefiani (Chefchaouen, Morocco): Identified unlocking climate finance for local entities as a top subnational priority requiring direct dialogue with national governments.
• Mayor Alfredo Coro (Del Carmen, Philippines): Pointed out the necessity of including frontline, vulnerable island and coastal municipalities in global decision-making.

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