ICLEI Oceania

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COVID-19 updates from the Global Covenant of Mayors

ICLEI Oceania

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"As now nearly all regions around the world are feeling the impact of COVID-19 in some way, I know that many of you are likely to be experiencing this first-hand, as your governments ​or the local governments you work with move their focus to containment and protection, first, and soon onto economic recovery. All of us at the Global Secretariat hope that you are focusing foremost on your personal wellbeing and that of your friends and loved ones. You are at the frontlines of the mission we collectively share with cities and local governments, and your health and safety are the topmost priority." Amanda Eichel, Executive Director of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy

Welcome to this special edition of the GCoM Newsletter. For the coming months, GCoM will be sending a regular newsletter to share latest updates, resources, and references to COVID-19-related efforts - across our Regional Covenants, from our partners, and in local governments. We hope these newsletters will be able to provide valuable support and resources, in the most active and efficient way possible.

The Global Covenant of Mayors is working closely with all of our global and regional partners to share some of the latest information, tools, and resources for cities around COVID-19.

C40 Cities 

The C40 Knowledge Hub is an open, online platform for city practitioners and decision-makers, that brings together insights, practical experiences and tried-and-tested approaches from cities across the world leading in climate action. The Hub provides all cities and local governments access to policy briefs, technical guidance as well as the latest data and research to accelerate climate action on a bigger scale, no matter where they are on their climate journey. All GCoM cities and partners are invited to register for the Knowledge Hub. Registered users are able to connect with other users on the site, participate in online discussion forums as well as save resources most useful to them. 

The C40 Knowledge Hub is a space where GCoM and partners are working to centralize relevant resources for all cities as they cope with the coronavirus pandemic. The site will be updated regularly with useful resources and tools for cities as they respond to the virus in the short-term, as well as practical advice emerging from cities over the coming weeks. All updates will be shared weekly in the Regions Portal.

The current collection of resources includes: 

C40 Cities Knowledge Hub is working on additional articles on cities' immediate responses to COVID-19 that will be published over the coming weeks, as well as sharing case studies from cities as they hear of best practices emerging.


Bloomberg Philanthropies

Bloomberg Philanthropies has launched a daily update newsletter on COVID-19, highlighting key information that city leaders. Subscribe here.

As part of the wider Bloomberg Philanthropies response to COVID-19, the organization has set up a series of initiatives that can be found at this link:

  • The Coronavirus Local Response Initiative

  • The Coronavirus Global Response Initiative

  • The NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund


The EU Covenant of Mayors 

The EU Covenant of Mayors Office published a blog with a list of initiatives that support local governments in facing the COVID19 crisis.
 
United Cities and Local Governments - UCLG

  • #BeyondTheOutbreak Live Learning Experience - co-convened by UCLG, UN-Habitat, and Metropolis to facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences between local and regional governments on their critical role in this unprecedented situation.

  • A video message from UCLG President and Mayor of Al Hoceima, Morocco, Mohamed Boudra

  • The cultural mobilization of cities and local governments in the COVID-19 crisis

  • Cities for Global Health platform - Discover the virtual platform where cities are doing and be inspired by others regarding specific initiatives or plans to the COVID-19 outbreak other health emergencies

Resources from UCLG's Regional Sections


EUROCITIES


ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability

Regions

IUC-LAC
The International Urban Cooperation Programme of the European Union for Latin America and the Caribbean (IUC-LAC), which implements the Global Covenant of Mayors in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean (GCoM LAC), issued a statement on the crisis caused by the new Coronavirus and the role of Mayors and local leaders in this period. Read IUC-LAC statement in English, Spanish and Portuguese

City Spotlight

In the midst of the COVID 19 crisis, the municipality of Godoy Cruz, Argentina, remains committed to fighting Climate Change by developing virtual campaigns on sustainable mobility, clean energy, water stewardship, recycling & circular economy. Read more (in Spanish)

Press Highlights

Webinars & Events

COMING UP:

  • Webinar: April 15, 2020: #BeyondTheOutbreak Live Learning Experience - Session on Technology (UCLG, UN-Habitat, and Metropolis)

PAST:

  • Webinar: City Resilience Stories Webinar Series - COVID-19: Coping, Learning & Building Urban Resilience (ICLEI). In case you missed it, watch here.

  • Webinar: #BeyondTheOutbreak Live Learning Experience - Building the Community (UCLG)

    • First session (March 25, 2020). In case you missed it, watch the key inputs here.

    • First Thematic Session - Housing: Consolidating public services to ensure everyone can safely stay at home (April 1, 2020). In case you missed it, watch here.

    • Second Thematic Session - Mobility & Public Transport ( April 8, 2020). In case you missed it, watch here.

    • Third Thematic Session - Role of Local Governments Associations (April 9, 2020). Link will be shared soon. 

  • Webinar: Leave No One Behind in COVID-19 Prevention, Response, and Recovery (UNDRR). In case you missed it, watch here.

Newsletter first published here: https://mailchi.mp/globalcovenantofmayors/mayors4climate-october-2019-newsletter-3478037