20 Urban Cities Leaders Call for G20 to Promote Sustainable Economy and Social Recovery for All

The U20 Communique was handed over by the city leaders who attended the U20 Mayors Summit attended the U20 Mayors Summit to the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs representing the G20 Presidency of Indonesia, on Wednesday (8/31). 

Cities are capable of advancing uniquely inclusive and equitable solutions

This year, Indonesia will act as chair of the G20 Presidency for 2022 and U20 is an engagement group of the G20, representing 44 cities.

City leaders also outlined a vision to work closely with G20 leaders at the Urban 20 Mayors Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia. These actions are expected to help overcome the climate crisis and promote a sense of social cohesion, and equality.

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"Inequality is not only increasing between countries but also within cities. Cities are capable of advancing uniquely inclusive and equitable solutions, and innovative breakthroughs in the face of global challenges. In the spirit of collaboration with the central government and the G20, from Jakarta, we want to highlight the relevance of U20's contribution in ensuring that we recover together and stronger from the ground up," expressed Jakarta Governor, Anies Baswedan, as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release.

At the U20 Mayors Summit 2022 held in Jakarta from August 29 to 31 under Jakarta and West Java governors, these U20 city leaders shared good practices and discussed solutions to achieve sustainable economic and social recovery for all.

The meeting, which was held in a hybrid format, brought together city leaders from all over the continent. Several representatives from 12 participating cities and 15 observer cities attended in person in Jakarta. 

Meanwhile, representatives from 10 participating cities and 2 observer cities joined virtually. The Summit ended with the signing of the official statement of the U20, to be presented to the G20 Presidency of Indonesia.

"We have just finished the U20 Summit and the atmosphere during the summit is very friendly, we are close friends, we talk about the conversations that have heavy themes but the atmosphere is very warm and fluid, and while they are in Jakarta they have the opportunity to experience this city," he expressed.

In the official statement, city leaders are driving real moves to promote affordable housing, spur a renewable energy transition that supports equal access to sustainable mobility, invest in mental health and pandemic resilience programs, and ensure equitable access to the world of work, by investing in long-term education and training about the future of employment.

"Regarding the results of the Communique, the G20 presidency has conveyed through the Coordinating Minister for the Economy concerning 3 important things: investment in health and public housing as part of a just economic and social recovery. Second, it is necessary to facilitate the transition to sustainable energy use and the need for equal access to sustainable mobility. Third, the importance of preparing education and training thus everyone gets equal opportunities in the world of work," he explained.

City leaders representing the world's largest economies today call on the G20 to take concrete action to accelerate sustainable economic and social recovery for all through (i) investing in health and housing as a cornerstone to an economic and social recovery for all, (ii) foster a sustainable energy transition and equal access to sustainable mobility, and (iii) provide education and training on the future of work to give all people equitable access to the job market.

They also implore the G20 leaders to stay focused on collaboratively realizing the Paris Agreement, New Urban Agenda, and the 2030 Agenda, while supporting efforts to make global goals achievable in the local sphere.

In the meantime, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil explained that the U20 Summit is an entity to execute the big ideas that will be formulated in the upcoming G20 in November 2022. 

"So, the main point is at the G20 Bali is that cities are at the level of entities that are ready to execute ideas where at the national level there are usually big narratives but to imply it is at the U20 level, as this city is ready to execute the command," he explained.

In connection with the G20 meeting in Bali which will be held from November 15 to 16, 2022, the U20 member cities beseech the leaders of the G20 countries to promote world peace and global development, as well as establish inter-city cooperation, towards the expected post-pandemic period, which is more equitable, sustainable, resilient and beneficial to all parties. A future in which all backgrounds, genders, or socio-economic statuses are afforded equitable opportunities.

"On behalf of the President, I accept this communique and thank you for the results, and in the next 1-2 months, we will discuss it in several meetings which we hope can be delivered at the Summit later," stated Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartanto.

Hence, the U20 member cities specifically call for action in the following three main areas:

1. Health and shelter investment, as a basis for economic and social recovery for all in the form of:

- Improving health systems to increase resilience to future pandemics and crises

- Increasing public investment to raise awareness of mental health, combat stigma, and expand mental health services

- Collaborating with the world's cities to address structural inequalities and invest in social justice and territorial cohesion

- Promoting healthy, affordable, accessible, and sustainable housing by recognizing the right to shelter and improving access

- Prompting regulations that support harmonious land use and facilitate more cohesive, integrated, multi-purpose, and transit-oriented zones

2. Fostering the transition to sustainable energy, and equal access to sustainable mobility

- Commit to a global and rapid cessation of fossil fuel use, publish a clear and binding Energy Transition Roadmap, in line with limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C and create an enabling national framework to support and accelerate the renewable energy transition, to achieve zero carbon emissions by the 2040s or sooner

- Prompting public investment both from abroad and within the country to finance the energy transition at the local level

- Overcoming systemic, technological, and financial barriers and limitations of renewable energy and energy efficiency for residential, commercial, and industrial users, to help amplify the needs of the energy transition

- Prioritizing measures and investments that can increase mobility in urban areas using public transport, walking and cycling, and reducing the use of private cars

3. Providing education and training on the future of employment to gain equitable access to employment opportunities

- Ensuring all employment opportunities and policies are fair and accessible to all taking into account the most vulnerable and under-represented workers

- Improving the welfare of workers in all fields, and ensuring that the socio-economic recovery that occurs is mutually beneficial and protects the rights of all workers

- Supporting fair and sustainable employment through investment, workforce development, training, and fair transition policies

- Urging the issuance of policies that can increase the potential of MSMEs as the main labor producers

- Requesting the government to bridge the gap in infrastructure and digital innovation, both abroad and domestically, and adapt human rights in the digital era by encouraging digital rights and access to data

About Urban 20

Urban 20 is a city diplomacy initiative that brings together cities from G20 member countries under a common framework to discuss global economic, climate and development issues.

The world's cities form a common attitude and issue recommendations for consideration by the G20 Chair and G20 member states, to enhance the role of cities as global economic and political leaders.

The U20 initiative is convened permanently by C40 Cities and United Cities and Local Governments, under the leadership of a city that rotates annually. The initiative is currently in its fifth series and was previously chaired by Buenos Aires (2018), Tokyo (2019), Riyadh (2020), and Rome-Milan (2021).

About C40 Cities

C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors in the world's leading cities working to deliver the urgent action needed today to confront the climate crisis and create a future in which everyone, everywhere can thrive.

The C40 City Mayor is committed to using a science-based, people-focused approach to help the world limit global warming to 1.5°C and build healthy, equitable, and resilient communities.

Through the Global Green New Deal, the mayor is working with coalitions of representatives from the workforce, business, youth climate movement, and civil society to go further and faster than ever before.

The current chairman of the C40 is London Mayor Sadiq Khan and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who served three terms, serving as Chairman of the C40 Board. The C40 can work with the support of our three strategic funders: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), and Realdania.

About United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)

UCLG is a worldwide organization of local and regional governments and their associations, representing and defending the interests of members on the world stage. UCLG membership serves 70% of the world's population and is present in all regions of the world. The main areas of UCLG's political interest are: local democracy, achieving sustainable development goals, local finance, urban development, and city diplomacy in building peace.