Renowned global climate expert to open day two of Cities Climate Action Summit 2024

SmartCitiesWorld has announced the latest speakers for the Cities Climate Action Summit (CCAS24), an official London Climate Action Week event.

They include Emma Howard Boyd CBE, chair of environmental charity ClientEarth and global ambassador of Race to Resilience, who will deliver the keynote speech on the in-person day at County Hall in London on 27 June 2024.

Also announced as expert speakers at Cities Climate Action 2024 are:

• Laia Bonet, First Deputy Mayor, Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing, Barcelona City Council, will share insights on how the Catalan capital is adapting for the climate emergency
• Kate Wright, Executive Director, Climate Mayors, will talk about how the network is helping cities implement bold climate action policies and programmes
• Eleni Myrivili, Global Chief Heat Officer, UN Habitat and Arsht-Rock and leading voice on urban heat, will deliver a keynote speech to open day one of the event
• Prashant Kapoor, Chief Industry Specialist, Green Buildings and Cities, Climate Business Department at the World Bank Group, will take part in a panel discussion that aims to shed light on the pressing issue of securing funding for retrofitting projects in cities, with a specific focus on energy conservation initiatives. 

They join a diverse line-up of climate, technology, finance, policy, and smart city professionals coming together to form a unique platform for city leaders, policymakers, and sustainability experts to connect, collaborate, and accelerate progress towards a climate-resilient future.

Accelerating climate action

Talking to SmartCitiesWorld earlier this year, Emma Howard Boyd, who was also chair of the London Climate Resilience Review, said we must all focus on “the pace” at which we can turn our climate action plans into delivery and implementation. “We haven’t got a moment to lose and that urgency means that we must act with pace. We cannot wait for everything to be perfect,” she said. 

She added: “It’s been excellent to see the progress made by the Race to Resilience over the three years since it launched. It couldn’t be more urgent to put more heft behind that campaign and to raise the numbers of organisations and cities committed to the Race. After all, this is a race that we all have to win – and accelerate momentum as we head towards the next Cop.”

At Cities Climate Action Summit 2024 we will seek to help accelerate the momentum for cities and municipalities who sit on the frontline of climate action. The agenda will focus on the three core themes of policy development, climate finance and technology deployment and has been built upon three guiding and enabling principles of leadership, equity and collaboration. The agenda for 2024 further dissects the central themes to focus on critical sectors within the city ecosystem, and deliver critical actionable insight on climate action in:

• Energy efficiency and transition
• Transportation
• Built environment.

Among the cities taking part are Barcelona, Boston, Bologna, Braga,  Dallas, Greater Manchester, The Hague, Helsinki, Kyiv, Miami, Prague, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, Sunderland, Tallinn, Toronto and Vilnius.

“Local climate action is recognised as vital to tackling global climate change and from the outset of CCAS we have sought to bring speakers and delegates together to shine a light on real-world challenges and solutions”

We are also grateful to our partners and sponsors who are supporting the event that include: Alliance of European Mayors – Mayors of Europe, Appyway, C40 Cities, CDP, Connected Places Catapult, Kausal, Latitudo 40, Leading Cities, Libelium, Local Government Information Unit (LGIU), London & Partners, London Climate Action Week, National League of Cities, Personal Cities, Resilient Cities Network, SatVu, Signify ThoughtLab, Vortex and World Smart Sustainable Cities Organisation (WeGo).

“We’re delighted to welcome our latest line-up of speakers who will be taking part in what promises to be one of the most meaningful and action-oriented climate action events for cities and municipalities around the world,” says Chris Cooke, founder of the online global resource SmartCitiesWorld.

“Local climate action is now recognised as vital to tackling global climate change. From the outset of CCAS we have sought to bring speakers and delegates together to shine a light on real-world challenges and solutions. Our aim is to help equip all those who attend with the knowledge and tools they need to fight the impact of climate change being felt on their doorstep.”

Delegates can join the livestreamed discussion on the first day and/or join us in-person in London’s iconic County Hall building on the banks of the River Thames for day two. For more details on the agenda, speakers and registration, go to Cities Climate Action Summit 2024.