Rio to host C40 World Mayors Summit days before COP30

Rio de Janeiro will host the COP3 Local Leaders Forum from November 5 to 2025, 30, which will kick off with the C40 Global Mayors Summit — the largest global gathering of cities committed to climate action. Held every three years, the C40 Mayors Summit 2025 will bring together mayors from over 100 major cities and global climate leaders, as well as investors, philanthropists, international organizations, and representatives from the private sector and civil society. The announcement was made on Tuesday (24/6) by Mayor Eduardo Paes, alongside the Mayor of London and C40 Co-Chair, Sadiq Khan, during London Climate Action Week.

The Summit will mark the opening of the COP30 Local Leaders Forum in Rio, organized by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the COP30 Presidency. The event precedes the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), which will take place in Belém, starting on November 10.

— Hosting the C40 World Mayors Summit on the eve of COP30 is a source of great pride for Rio and Brazil. Cities are on the front lines of the impacts of the climate crisis, and also of the solutions. We are developing concrete actions that protect people and improve the quality of life of our citizens, such as improvements in public transportation, creation of green areas and protocols against climate disasters — said Paes.

— The event will be essential to reinforce local protagonism and show how, together, cities can accelerate the global climate agenda, mobilizing resources and building partnerships to ensure a safer, healthier and fairer future for all.

The C40 World Mayors Summit will celebrate two decades of progress by the cities in the network, which was created in 2005. The meeting will also outline priorities for the next 12 months, with a focus on maintaining the necessary pace of action and ensuring that cities have the resources to meet the challenges ahead.

— The Rio Summit will be a defining moment to strengthen the leadership of cities in tackling the climate crisis. Cities are showing that it is possible to reduce emissions, create green jobs and improve people’s lives, even in the face of denialism and inaction. We will send a clear message: mayors are making a difference — highlighted the Mayor of London and Co-Chair of C40, Sadiq Khan, during the announcement.

C40 Mayors’ Summit to open Local Leaders’ Forum, official COP30 event

The C40 event kicks off the COP30 Local Leaders Forum in Rio, also announced Tuesday by the COP30 Presidency and Bloomberg Phillantropies. Running from November 3 to 5, the conference will highlight concrete examples of local climate action, mobilize new financing resources and align urban initiatives with global goals — such as tripling renewable energy production by 2030, improving public health and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Forum also seeks to contribute to achieving the goal of raising US$1,3 trillion per year by 2035, with a focus on supporting developing countries most vulnerable to the climate crisis.

“Cities are on the front lines of the crisis, implementing solutions that not only cut emissions but also protect public health and strengthen their economies. November’s events in Rio will highlight this progress and ensure that cities’ voices are heard at COP30,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions, Chair of the C40 Board of Directors and co-founder of Bloomberg Phillantropies.

The Forum will focus on strengthening multilateralism and diplomacy between different levels of government, with the aim of accelerating the implementation of the Paris Agreement, promoting cooperation between national and local leaders to meet the climate goals set by the UN.

A key focus will be unlocking climate finance, enabling mayors and governors to scale up adaptation and resilience in their communities.

— Local leadership is essential for the success of global climate action — said COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago.

— As we prepare for COP30, in the heart of the Amazon, we are inspired by the spirit of mutirão, a collective effort where all voices and all levels of government work together towards a common goal.

COP30 Rio Local Leaders Forum schedule announced in London

The schedule for the COP30 Local Leaders Forum, which will take place from November 3 to 5 in Rio, was also announced on Tuesday, and includes:

– C40 Global Mayors Summit: Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the creation of the network, the event will be led by Sadiq Khan and hosted by Eduardo Paes. It will bring together global mayors, including the FNP and the Global Covenant of Mayors, with discussions on energy, mobility, infrastructure, decarbonization of buildings, nature-based solutions and Brazilian urban innovation.

– Global Summit of States and Regions – Organized by the Under2 Coalition, it will bring together governors and regional leaders to present climate actions in renewable energy, transportation, industry and land use.

– Local Leaders Awards Ceremony – Organized by C40 and the City of Rio, the event will award two subnational governments – one Brazilian and one international – for climate projects, on topics such as just energy transition, adaptation, health and multi-level partnerships.

– CHAMP High-Level Policy Dialogue – In partnership with the World Resources Institute, C40 and the Global Covenant of Mayors, the meeting will reinforce multi-level collaboration and present the commitments of CHAMP – an acronym for “Coalition for High Ambition Multi-level Partnerships for Climate Action”, an initiative to promote cooperation between national and subnational governments in combating climate change through partnerships.

– America Is All In Exchange – In partnership with the US Climate Alliance, Climate Mayors and others, the conference focuses on highlighting local climate leadership and progress from US cities.

After the closing of the Forum in Rio on November 5, a delegation of local leaders will travel to Belém to take the results of the discussions held in Rio to COP30. A council of the LGMA – Local Governments and Municipal Authorities –, created in Rio-92, will represent cities and regions at the meeting of national leaders at COP30, with the aim of presenting a joint vision of subnational governments, reinforcing the proposal for an integrated COP30, from the local to the global.

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June 24th, 2025

Appointments: United Nations Climate Conference COP30 C40 World Mayors Summit COP30 Local Leaders Forum City Hall of Rio