COP26: Khan to call for cities like London to have greater powers and funding
London mayor Sadiq Khan will use the upcoming COP26 to vouch for cities like London to have greater powers and funding.
It forms part of the mayors bid to “tackle the twin dangers of the climate emergency and toxic air pollution”, his spokesperson told City A.M.
“The mayor will use COP26 to highlight how London is already taking action and having an impact with policies like the world’s-first Ultra Low Emission Zone – creating jobs and reducing inequalities in the process,” they said.
“COP26 will also be a vital moment for Sadiq and other city leaders to make the case to government that cities need more powers and funding.”
Khan’s version of a successful COP26, the UN’s flagship climate conference, will also see an agreement on binding net zero emission targets for all nations by 2050, which considers the financial support required by nations to manage the transition, particularly states in the global south.
“That’s why I’ve committed to making London zero-carbon by 2030, faster than any comparable city, and it’s why we are delivering a climate action plan that is compatible with the highest ambition of the Paris Agreement,” Khan said.
It follows Khan telling the Evening Standard yesterday that the UK cannot have a national recovery without a London recovery, in relation to the government’s levelling up agenda.
He suggests that the policy does not pay enough attention to the capital, after it was knocked hard by the pandemic.
“Don’t bash London. We can’t have a national recovery without a London recovery. I can’t think of anything more patriotic than talking up our capital,” he said.