Belmonte joins climate summit in New York

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte was among the leaders from around the world who took part in the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit (UNCAS) convened by UN Secretary General António Guterres in New York.

During a press conference organized by the C40 Cities, a global network of mayors taking action against the climate crisis, Belmonte shared the different initiatives adopted by the local government in line with QC Enhanced Local Climate Change Action Plan.

According to the city government, among the programs she discussed were the city’s urban farms as well as decarbonization strategies such as by installing solar panels in city-owned buildings and facilities and adopting an energy-efficient transportation fleet.

Belmonte also discussed the city’s plan to pass an enhanced green building ordinance, as well as highlighted the importance of climate financing “to fully accelerate a green, sustainable and fossil-fuel-free future.”

She was joined in the press conference by Mayors Eric Adams of New York City, Giuseppe Sala of Milan in Italy and Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr of Freetown in Sierra Leone as well as C40 Cities executive director Mark Watts.

The Quezon City government was among the six cities that will receive funding of up to $60,000 under the Inclusive Climate Action Cities Fund of C40 Cities.

It will use the budget to develop a storybook that will feature a children’s version of the city’s climate action plan.

Belmonte was joined by Quezon City Councilor Joseph Juico and QC Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department head Andrea Villaroman in New York to attend the UNCAS.

In May, Belmonte attended the International Forum to end Plastic Pollution in Cities, organized by the United Nations Environment Program in Paris, France, where she joined a panel discussion on local innovations to beat the global plastic crisis.