President Lula meets cities, state and regional leaders at COP30 to unlock true multilevel action
Yesterday at COP30 in Belém, President Lula placed cities, states, and regions at the centre of the climate conversation - a historic moment for the global climate community.
At a time when the world is calling for a shift from negotiation to implementation, this meeting sent a powerful signal: true climate action happens when every level of government moves together. President Lula and the COP30 Presidency’s commitment to a global mutirão reflects a deep understanding of what implementation really requires - collaboration, alignment of mandates, and trust in the people and institutions closest to delivering change on the ground.
As the state of Pará, host of COP30 and a member of the Under2 Coalition, demonstrated yesterday, subnational leadership is essential to delivering results where they matter most. Over the past decade, cities, states, and regions have been core drivers of climate solutions, yet COP outcomes still too often keep subnational actors at arm’s length. Yesterday’s dialogue served as a clear reminder: implementation will only succeed if those closest to delivering solutions are recognised, empowered, and fully integrated into the process.
The message from subnational governments is clear:
- We honour the progress that brought us here.
- We stand ready to deliver at speed and scale.
- We need to ensure that local and regional action has a space that enables structured, ongoing exchange - not to negotiate, but to drive true multilevel action that unlocks accelerated global progress.
When cities, regions, communities, national governments, and champions move in concert as a mutirão, we do more than advance climate action. We build ownership, bridge the future, and keep the 1.5°C goal within reach.
COP30 is proving to be a turning point for multilevel action. By recognising and empowering the critical role of subnational governments, the global climate community can ensure that commitments made on paper translate into tangible, life-changing results on the ground.
Responding to President Lula's recognition of cities, states and regional leadership, Champa Patel, Executive Director for Governments and Policy, said:
"Yesterday’s meeting at COP30 was a powerful reminder that climate action is strongest when every level of government moves together. Cities, states, and regions are not just implementers - they are leaders, innovators, and drivers of real-world solutions. The commitment shown by President Lula, COP30 Presidency and subnational governments to enable a global mutirão reflects the kind of multilevel governance we need to turn ambition into action. Subnational governments are ready to deliver at speed and scale, and with structured, ongoing collaboration, we can unlock accelerated progress and keep 1.5°C within reach."