The European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for the ‘European Green Deal’, Maroš Šefčovič, travelled to Paris on Thursday 25 July for 2 days of discussions on climate action and the energy transition with mayors from international cities.
During this visit, Mr Šefčovič took part in the Climate and Cities Conference, organised by the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo. The event brought together a wide range of participants to discuss issues such as climate justice, the fight against disinformation on environmental issues and the gradual phase-out of fossil fuels.
Mr Šefčovič also co-chaired the board meeting of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. This global initiative, launched in 2015, brings together thousands of cities and local authorities committed to climate leadership.
On the X network, he reiterated the role of local leadership in achieving collective ambition on climate, stating that it “can shape our collective ambition”.
He cited Paris as an example, saying that the city has shown that it is possible to organise large-scale events that respect the environment, such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games, noting “choices” among the “more sustainable, such as renewable energies, zero-emission mobility and the circular economy”.
On Friday 26 July, Maroš Šefčovič is due to meet mayors from the climate leadership group of C40 cities, which includes Athens, Copenhagen, Istanbul, Oslo and Rome. Discussions will focus on the future of green and urban policies, aligned with EU priorities ahead of a new EU policy cycle. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)