WHAT
CNCA cities exert collective influence on and advocate for policies from other decision-makers to reduce emissions not directly controlled by cities.
WHY
City action is limited by regulations that constrain their authority, a lack of incentives or requirements for private industry to decarbonize, and an economic system built on unsustainable resource extraction. Cities are thus dependent on other levels of government, regulatory agencies and industry to achieve their carbon neutrality goals. By pooling their collective influence and resources, cities can more effectively advocate and motivate other actors to accelerate a shift in their operations toward zero emissions.
HOW
CNCA supports advocacy and partnership building where the mobilization of a range of actors is needed to advance climate policy. To do this, CNCA:
- Uses a member-driven approach to prioritize critical policy areas where cities are held back because of policies or political dynamics at other decision-making levels;
- Develops and implements a collective influence campaign for each priority area;
- Identifies which actors we wish to influence, and trains members to more effectively influence them; and
- Requires all projects supported by the CNCA Game Changer Fund to identify the actors critical for reaching their desired project outcomes and how they plan to influence them.
Related Resources:
Joint Letter to Global Financial Leaders Calling for a Green, Regenerative Economic Recovery
(March 2020)