On 15 October, the Covenant of Mayors – a movement of climate-friendly cities – and its sister initiative Mayors Adapt will join forces in the fight against climate change ahead of the United Nations climate summit in Paris at the end of November.

In a ceremony at the European Parliament in Brussels hosted by Miguel Arias Cañete, European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, the Covenant of Mayors will acknowledge the important contribution cities make to reducing emissions, decarbonising energy systems and creating climate-resilient urban environments for citizens.

The Covenant of Mayors and Mayors Adapt initiatives are movements involving more than 6000 cities voluntarily committing to take climate action. From now on, the new Covenant of Mayors will integrate Mayors Adapt and include the solutions put in place by cities to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.

At the event, signatory municipalities will discuss carbon dioxide emissions targets for 2030, as well as adaptation efforts cities undertake to combat the unavoidable adverse effects of climate change.

European cities – home to 360 million people or 72% of Europe’s population – account for 70% of the continent’s energy consumption. Urban areas are in addition particularly vulnerable to the increasing climate change impacts. Cities are therefore of key importance in mitigating and adapting to climate change and ideal places for boosting renewable energy and improving energy efficiency in buildings.

Register by 11 October 2015 to join this event.