ICLEI, together with its partners, is pleased to invite subnational and local governments to Montréal, Québec, Canada for the 7th Summit for Subnational Governments and Cities and its associated Pavilion. The Summit, an official parallel event to the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the CBD, will be co-hosted with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) and Regions4, along with the host Government of Québec and the City of Montréal and with the support and engagement of the Province of Yunnan and the City of Kunming. Both the Summit and the Pavilion are financially supported by the Government of Québec as main sponsor.
The Summit and Pavilion constitute an unprecedented global milestone to welcome significantly strengthened contributions from subnational governments and cities to the new post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF). The Summit, focused on taking action for biodiversity, will be held on 11th and 12th December 2022 at the Palais des Congrès (blue zone) and will center around three elements: Engage, Influence and Act. For the first time at a CBD COP, there will be a dedicated Pavilion focusing entirely on subnational and local government actions and opportunities. The Pavilion program will include multiple events, from 8th to 18th December, during COP 15.
ENGAGE
INFLUENCE
ACT
The 7th Summit is dedicated to taking action and making commitments, with subnational governments and cities sharing and demonstrating inspirational biodiversity initiatives, solutions and achievements, and pivoting combined multi-level ambitions and engagement into measurable actions.
The outcome of this historic, action-oriented Summit will be presented formally by the hosts to the CBD COP 15 High Level Segment as a united message from the subnational constituency.
Outcomes of past summits have included declarations, such as the Sharm el Sheik Communiqué on Subnational Action for Nature and People, as well as concrete commitments.
About the logo
As an official event of the CDB COP, it is customary for each Biodiversity Summit of Subnational Governments and Cities to create a logo that aligns with the COP logo. The logo and its visual elements give the Summit a unique visual identity and strengthen the link between the COP and the Summit. As an official event of the CDB COP, it is customary for each Biodiversity Summit of Subnational Governments and Cities to create a logo that aligns with the COP logo.
The logo and its visual elements give the Summit a unique visual identity and strengthen the link between the COP and the Summit.
Since the 7th Summit for Subnational Governments & Cities: Taking Action for Biodiversity, is being held in the city of Montréal, Québec, a logo has been created that reflects both the imagery of the approved COP 15 logo, most notably the water drop and colour, but also the current hosts of the Summit.
The multi-layered 7th Summit logo incorporates urban and natural elements, green and blue spaces that represent Canada, Québec and Montréal, as well as some elements referencing China.
The white pine on the bottom left, represents the Indigenous Peoples of Montréal and the beautiful Iris versicolor is the floral emblem of Quebec. In addition, the Biosphere, an iconic landmark in Montréal, is a museum dedicated to the environment and its structure pioneers sustainable architecture in the city.
The five elements (layers) from Chinese philosophy demonstrate how all aspects of human health are interconnected with nature and our environment. The swallow is an emblem of good fortune and positive change, and is a reference to Kunming being
known as “the Spring City”.
Background to the Summit
Subnational governments and cities are on the frontline of the triple planetary crisis – the three main interlinked issues that humanity currently faces: climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Although policy frameworks and targets to address these challenges are decided at the global level, their implementation happens at the local and subnational level. Accordingly, this is where the transformative actions will and need to occur to ensure we bend the curve on biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation and destruction.
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, in partnership with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) and each national and subnational host of the Conferences of the Parties (COPs) to the CBD, and global partners such as Regions4 have been convening Global Biodiversity Summits for subnational governments at all levels as parallel events at CBD COPs since 2008. These Summits provide an important platform for CBD Parties to engage with the local and subnational community, their key networks and partners on their increasingly recognized and vital contribution to the achievement of the objectives and targets of the Convention.
The Edinburgh Process
On behalf of the CBD, the Edinburgh Process – led by the Scottish Government, and a global partnership between ICLEI, Regions4 and Quebec province, among others – has been focusing on consulting local and subnational governments on their role in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and targets, in particular amplifying the voices of this constituency through the Edinburgh Declaration. This Declaration called for a renewed decision on engagement with subnational governments, cities and other local authorities to enhance implementation of the post-2020 framework, and the updated Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity (2021-2030), to ensure the inclusion of all levels of government in the implementation of the framework. Similarly, outcomes of past summits have included declarations, such as the Sharm el Sheik Communiqué on Subnational Action for Nature and People, as well as concrete commitments.