Rio de Janeiro / London — Recognising the power of subnational leadership in the fight against climate change, the Under2 Coalition will host a first-ever Global States & Regions Summit. The two-day event will be held during the COP30 Local Leaders Forum in Rio de Janeiro, 3-4 November.
The Summit brings together governors, premiers, and regional leaders from around the world. It will showcase how subnational governments are driving real climate progress, advancing clean energy, decarbonising key sectors including transport, industry and food and creating bankable projects to unlock green finance.
Organised by Bloomberg Philanthropies and COP30 President, the Summit will spotlight how in a time of national governments failing to deliver ambitious climate action plans (NDCs), states and regions are coming with their own subnational transition plans to speed up change and to drive down emissions. Subnational governments are implementing measurable, finance-ready solutions across sectors and geographies – these solutions will be announced in a new report launching during the summit.
“Climate action falls flat without states and regions,” said Nehmat Kaur, Director of the Under2 Coalition. “The first Global States & Regions Summit is about turning ambition into delivery, showcasing subnational leadership, unlocking finance and partnerships, and positioning regional action at the heart of the COP30 agenda. States and regions are the engines of delivery the world urgently needs, driving real progress towards net zero, and resilience.”
Key outcomes expected from the Summit include:
- A consolidated declaration of subnational leadership to be carried into COP30 negotiations
- A portfolio of replicable solutions supported by partnership and finance pathways
- A forward-looking framework for a COP31.
“We’re at the frontline dealing with the harsh realities of climate change, but we’re also equipped with the best solutions. We don’t back away, we fight back because addressing the climate crisis must start locally,” said Marilia Carvaldo de Melo, Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development, Minas Gerais. “I’m honoured to join this inaugural Global States and Region Summit in Rio and to help mobilise fellow subnational leaders, turning bold ambition into real results on the ground.”
“The climate reality is already upon us in the Western Cape and is felt across the African continent. Droughts, fires, floods and extreme weather conditions demand immediate action,” said Alan Winde, Premier of the Western Cape and Co-Chair (Africa Region) of the Under2 Coalition. “This Summit gives subnational governments, especially marginalised regions, a global platform to share how resilience, renewable energy and just transitions are delivering green jobs, growth and energy security for our communities.”
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Notes to editors
Date: 4/11/25
Time: 9-10am (Opening plenary)
Global States and Regions Summit High-Level Opening Plenary: A Decisive Call for a New Era
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Aishat Barde, Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Taraba State
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Helen Clarkson OBE, Chief Executive Officer, Climate Group
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Jay Inslee, Former Governor, Washington, USA
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Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister, Wales, U.K.
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Axel Kicillof, Governor, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Gillian Martin, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, Scotland, U.K.
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Dr. Champa Patel, Executive Director of Governments and Policy, Climate Group
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Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Executive Governor, Lagos State, Nigeria
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Ignacio Torres, Governor, Chubut, Argentina
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Papa Tunkara, Chairman, NorthBank Region, Gambia
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Antha Williams, Environment Program, Bloomberg Philanthropies
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Laurence Tubiana, Chief Executive Officer, European Climate Foundation, COP30 Envoy to Europe
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U.S. Governor
About the Under2 Coalition
The Under2 Coalition is the largest global network of states and regions committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest.
Today, the coalition represents nearly 200 individual states, regions, provinces and subnational governments - a total of more than 270 actors, totalling more than 50% of global GDP.
About the COP30 Local Leaders Forum
Co-hosted by the COP30 Presidency and Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Local Leaders Forum (3-8 November 2025, Rio de Janeiro) convenes mayors, governors and regional leaders to align subnational climate action with national and global frameworks. The Global States & Regions Summit is a flagship component of this Forum.
Media contacts
- Vanessa Power, Senior Communications Manager, vpower@climategroup.org +44 7752 403 008 (on the ground in Rio)
- Emily Bowen, Senior Corporate Communications and Media Officer, ebowen@climategroup.org +44 7446 276 140 (on the ground in Rio and Sao Paulo)