Mexico City, Mexico (2 December 2016) – Today, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo leads women mayors from around the world in launching the Women4Climate initiative to help support and celebrate women leaders who are driving forward climate action. As the first woman chair of the C40, Mayor Hidalgo aims to galvanize the international community to focus on the nexus of gender and climate issues. The announcement was made at the C40 Mayors Summit 2016 in Mexico City.
“Women leaders like Christina Figueres, Patricia Espinosa and C40’s women mayors were instrumental in delivering the Paris Agreement and have a unique role to play in realising its ambition,” said C40 Chair and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. “As women mayors and city leaders we can’t rely on anyone else to take the lead on creating a sustainable world for future generations. We are more than ready for the challenge.”
The first-of-its-kind Women4Climate initiative will identify and support the next generation of women leaders globally, empowering them to take action on climate change, creating opportunities to deliver on this crucial agenda. Powerful women mayors will take under their wing these young leaders to get ready the next generation.
Addressing gender inequality and social inclusion whilst also tackling climate change will be a key priority of Mayor Hidalgo’s agenda as C40 Chair. As a long-time feminist political leader, the initiative will be one of Mayor Hidalgo’s first efforts to formally advance this topic both inside and outside the C40 organization and global network of cities, with the opportunity to engage many strong and dynamic women mayors, CEOs and NGO leaders around the world. Mayor of Washington D.C. Muriel Bowser, Mayor of Cape Town, Patricia de Lille, Mayor of Caracas, Helen Fernandez and Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore will join Mayor Hidalgo at the C40 Mayors Summit in Mexico City on Friday to discuss the basis of the Women4Climate agenda.
Other high profile women on the international stage have endorsed Mayor Hidalgo’s efforts to elevate the profile of women in combatting climate change, including Patricia Espinosa, UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Laurence Tubiana, French Ambassador for Climate Change Negotiations, Dr. Hakima El Haite, Minister in Charge of Environment, Morocco and Celestine Ketcha-Courtes, Mayor of Bangangte and representative of the Global Covenant of Mayors.
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