Climate Week NYC: Science demands action

C40 Cities

C40 is a network of nearly 100 world-leading cities taking urgent action to confront the climate crisis. 🌳 🚴♀️

Published Sep 24, 2025

"The science demands action. The law commands it. The economics compel it. And people are calling for it" - United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres

Cities and national governments working together

On the third day of Climate Week NYC, mayors and leaders attended the UN Secretary-General’s Solutions Dialogue.

C40 Cities Co-Chair and Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE , implored national governments and financial institutions to match cities’ climate ambition by:

unlocking direct finance
strengthening local climate resilience
co-designing national plans with mayors
improving city creditworthiness
prioritising urban action in multilateral banks.

Showcasing Freetown’s tree-planting campaign, which created 2,800 green jobs and trained youth in digital monitoring, she called for global action: cities are delivering, now it’s time for the world to back them.

Article content — C40 Cities Co-Chair and Mayor of Freetown Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr at the United Nations Headquarters

A close-up group photo of a man and two women smiling warmly together. The man on the left wears a light-colored blazer, the woman in the middle wears a dark blazer over a patterned blouse with an event lanyard, and the woman on the right wears glasses and a bright red and yellow patterned dress. They appear to be at a crowded indoor conference or gathering. — L-R: Ambassador Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, C40 Cities Co-Chair and Mayor of Freetown Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr

City-led climate action

London’s Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban MBE , appeared on the Reuters Live Morning Show. He spoke about what London is doing to face the climate crisis and why city-led climate action matters more than ever.

Four men sit in chairs on a stage, engaged in a discussion. The background features a large screen displaying "REUTERS CLIMATE FRONTLINES" with a cityscape graphic. To the left and right of the screen are wall graphics of different city buildings. The men are dressed in suits or smart casual attire. The man on the far left has a beard and is wearing a light gray suit. Next to him, a man in a dark blue suit gestures with his hands as he speaks. The third man, wearing a black suit, is looking at the man in the blue suit. The man on the far right, wearing a dark blue suit and glasses, is looking at the man in the black suit. The setting is a media interview. — L-R: Mete Coban, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy, Rohit Aggarwala, NYC's CHief CLimate Officer and Commissioner of the Dept of Environmental Protection, Justin Bibb, Mayor of Cleveland and Axel Threlfall, Reuters Editor-at-Large

Risk, Resilience, Results

At this high-level UNGA side event, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr made a compelling case for centering local leadership in addressing the climate-health crisis. Speaking to donors, policymakers, and grassroots leaders, she emphasised that cities like Freetown are already innovating, from youth-led climate initiatives to large-scale community-driven tree-planting campaigns.

“Delays in financial allocations to councils are constraining our ability to respond effectively to local needs.” - Mayor Aki-Sawyerr

Her core message was that local action must be matched by national support and global solidarity. She called for the devolution of power, timely and direct financing for cities, and an equitable climate health agenda at the upcoming 7th African Union-European Union Summit in November.

A woman wearing a colorful red and yellow patterned traditional outfit and glasses smiles while posing in front of a bright blue backdrop. The backdrop features the text "UNGA80" in large, stacked letters of orange, yellow, and green. — C40 Cities Co-Chair and Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr at UNGA

Endless possibilities

US mayors gathered at the Climate Mayors Leadership Forum, with the Mayor of Phoenix, Kate Gallego , and the Mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, discussing energy costs, housing, and how to reframe the climate emergency not only as a threat but also as a chance for possibility.

A large group of professionally dressed people poses for a formal photograph. They are standing together in several rows on and in front of a low stage, with an American flag visible on the far left. — US mayors at the Climate Mayors Leadership Forum

Mete Coban meets with Al Sharpton

Deputy Mayor of London, Mete Coban, met with Reverend Al Sharpton, internationally renowned civil rights leader, founder, and President of the National Action Network (NAN).

Two men engaged in a warm handshake in an office setting. The man on the left wears a light grey suit, and the man on the right wears a distinctive blue and grey plaid, double-breasted suit and glasses. The office walls are covered with framed photographs and awards, indicating a distinguished career. — Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy Mete Coban and Reverend Al Sharpton

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Nataliia Brytska🧸🎁📚

Founder & CEO | Kids Educational Toy Store NYC | Expert in Child Development Through Play | STEM Toys | E-commerce Entrepreneur

Such a powerful and clear call to action from António Guterres. It’s a reminder that climate action isn’t optional it’s urgent and necessary on every level. Let’s keep the momentum going

roberto paolo pirani

Amministratore presso Worm srls

Settimana tematica: #ilLogistica a 𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗢 (compresa la gestione delle eccedenze alimentari). Nei commenti, tutti i 6 post precedenti per riflettere sulla necessaria riprogettazione di servizi e rifornimenti nelle 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗮̀ https://www.linkedin.com/posts/roberto-paolo-pirani-1880a9161_illogistica-wormapp-wormapp-activity-7328660506460700673-GK0u 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗔𝗽𝗽 Working with the engine off is a substantial part of a rational 𝐑𝐄-𝐄𝐕𝐎𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 for 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. In congested places, nothing is faster, more efficient, more performant, more economical, than operating from a standstill. A model with which opportunities are created to manage multiple public interest services #climateneutrality2030 #betterthanbefore #collaborativeconomy …“I’m just a part of everything”... i/o, Peter Gabriel 2023

kushagra sanjay shukla

Masters in Computer Applications/data analytics

Good research

David Gilmour, AICP

Environmental Planner

Thanks for the update! Go - Mayors!!

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Climate Week NYC: Science demands action

C40 Cities

C40 is a network of nearly 100 world-leading cities taking urgent action to confront the climate crisis. 🌳 🚴♀️