COP30 Day 2

Day 2 of COP30 highlighted the growing power of cities, regions, and local leaders in driving frontline climate action, with major announcements focused on adaptation, heat resilience, and multilevel governance. The day opened with the launch of COP30’s new Action Agenda Thematic Spaces—physical hubs showcasing over 400 international climate initiatives—alongside the publication of the Yearbook of Global Climate Action 2025. Local leadership took centre stage during the High-Level Ministerial Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change, where Brazil and Germany were announced as new co-chairs of the CHAMP coalition and the Plan to Accelerate Multilevel Governance (PAS) was unveiled, aiming to embed multilevel structures into 100 countries’ NDCs by 2028 and train 6,000 officials. Cities advanced practical solutions through the “Beat the Heat” Implementation Drive—co-led by UNEP and the COP30 Presidency—to protect 3.5 billion people across 185 cities from extreme heat. Water resilience also surged forward with a $20 billion Latin America & Caribbean Water Investment Programme and the High-Level Ministerial on Water and Climate Action adopting a Joint Statement to position water at the core of global adaptation efforts.

Buildings, circularity, and global participation rounded out a day defined by local action and scalable innovation. Ministers from over 60 governments convened for the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Council for Buildings and Climate, endorsing the Belém Call for Action to align housing policy with climate goals by 2035. New initiatives—such as the No Organic Waste (NOW) Plan to cut methane emissions by 30% and the “Mutirão for Sustainable E-Waste Management and Digital Inclusion”—showcased Brazil’s leadership in circular economy solutions, including the donation of refurbished computers and the training of 2,700 youth in e-waste management. Meanwhile, the UNDP and COP30 Presidency expanded global access through Maloca, a digital participation platform enabling communities worldwide to join COP30 events virtually. The day concluded with the Global Mutirão Ministerial Plenary, gathering ministers and mayors from over 80 countries and reaffirming that the future of the Paris Agreement is being built from the ground up—through cities, communities, and local leaders driving real, people-centred climate progress.