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COP22 - 16.11.2016
How to finance local actions: Get the answers during our event on 17 November
Most of the investments to implement climate actions will be undertaken by towns and regions, but they often lack the necessary financial means.

On 17 November, CEMR, PLATFORMA and further partners including UCLG, are organising a session to discuss opportunities for funding for local government while involving other stakeholders (civil society, research, etc.).

Follow the event live online from 16h45 to 18h15 (Brussels time 17h45-19h15).

Speakers will include:
- Mohammed Sadiki, Mayor of Rabat
- Wael Hmaidan, Director of CAN-International Secretariat
- Claire Charbit, Deputy Head of the Regional Development Policy Division of the Public Governance and Territorial Development Directorate, OECD
- Pierre Ducret, I4CE President and Special Advisor for climate change, Caisse des Dépôts Group
- André Pouilles, Directeur du Département des Appuis Transversaux, Agence Française de Développement (AFD)
- Frédéric Vallier, CEMR secretary general
Local Autonomy - 07.11.2016

Regionalisation, cooperation, metropolitanisation: OLA’s conference newsletter is out
Interested in regionalisation, metropolitanisation or intermunicipal cooperation? Discover the main findings of the conference organised by OLA, the Observatory for Local Autonomy, on these issues.

The conference, coorganised by CEMR, took place from 30 June to 2 July 2016. The findings of the conference are available in the newsletter in English and in French.
CEMR presidency - 05.11.2016

President De la Serna joins Spanish government
The mayor of Santander and CEMR president, Iñigo De la Serna, has joined the Spanish government as Minister for Public Works and Transport. He was nominated on 4 November 2016.

Who will be the next CEMR President? She or he will be elected in Maastricht on 12 December 2016 by the CEMR Policy Committee, which is made up of over 170 local and regional elected representatives, nominated by national member associations and national sections of CEMR.

We wish Mr De la Serna great success in his new mission as Minister for Public Works and Transport; a field in which local and regional governments’ implication is of the utmost importance.
World Mayor 2016 - 27.10.2016

15 refugee-friendly mayors shortlisted for World Mayor Prize
The names of the 15 nominees shortlisted for the 2016 World Mayor Prize have now been made public. These are 15 mayors who, with their communities, “have made exceptional efforts to welcome refugees and integrate migrants.”

Want to have your say on who will be the next World Mayor Prize winner? You can express your support to the mayor of your choice until the middle of December 2016, and the winner will be announced by the end of January 2017.
Habitat III - 26.10.2016

CEMR secretary general reacts to the adoption of the New Urban Agenda
The New Urban Agenda was adopted during Habitat III in Quito.

CEMR secretary general Frédéric Vallier made a statement on this topic: "the journey towards the adoption of the global New Urban Agenda ended with the adoption of a text that respects the main positions held by local governments and their associations*. For this reason, CEMR is proud to have represented European towns and regions in these negociations."

Concerning the implementation of the global agenda, Frédéric Vallier pointed out the need to continue in the same direction:

"The implementation of the proposals included in the text will have to be done in partnership with all spheres of governance, from the local to the global level. CEMR will be paying attention that towns and regions' needs are taken into account. PLATFORMA, for its part, will be an essential tool to offer cooperation programmes aiming to guarantee the success of this agenda everywhere in the world."
European Green Capital - 11.10.2016

Good Practices in sustainable urban planning: new report
With climate change’s consequences becoming increasingly present in the media and current events; towns and cities are becoming more aware of the need for sustainable urban policies.

It’s one thing to see the policy on paper, but what does it look like on the ground? European Green Capital and European Green Leaf have published their Good Practices report, with a great number of examples from European cities implementing sustainable urban planning.

From energy coaching to tap water promotion, find inspiration from great sustainable urban planning projects all around Europe here.
CITYnvest - 05.10.2016

From energy efficiency to urban development funds: CITYnvest’s newsletter is out
Did you know that renovations in public buildings were a great way to improve energy efficiency? CITYnvest knows how that can be financed. Read all about it and more in CITYnvest’s newsletter.
RFSC - 30.09.2016

Urban Agenda, SDGs, city design: RFSC’s newsletter is out
Interested in sustainable urban development? Read all about these issues and more in the first edition of RFSC’s (Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities) newsletter.
Refugees and Migration - 20.09.2016

Funding, housing and multilevel governance: new priorities for refugees in towns and regions
Access to funding for towns and regions, access to housing for refugees and migrants, and true multilevel governance. Those are the three priorities that CEMR’s Task Force on Migrants and Refugees identified during their meeting last week. These priorities will be presented to the Commission: they need to be reflected in EU’s agenda.

Among other priorities for local and regional governments, the Task Force also discussed the common European asylum policy, the integration of third country nationals, and the Urban Agenda.

At the meeting, representatives from the European Commission, the OECD and the city of Amsterdam were namely present.