Tackling climate change efforts requires a bottom-up approach, a principle that is finally being recognised by multiple stakeholders as evidenced during the COP23 conference in Bonn, Germany.

As vice-chair, Labour MEP and S&D spokesperson for the environment Miriam Dalli last week led a European Parliament delegation to the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn which saw global heads of state and ministers delivering plans, pleas and pledges for climate action.

Hailing Europe´s climate leadership, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to make up any funding shortfall for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, after the United States outlined plans to cut funding earlier this year. 

Urgent action is required to get on track towards the objectives of the Paris Climate Change Agreement and to achieve the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals.

“It was a positive Climate Change Conference in that it started recognizing the importance of a bottom up approach by putting at the heart of its thinking, stakeholders and citizens alike,” Miriam Dalli said, in comments to the press following a series of meetings with various delegations.

Dalli met representatives of various multilateral organisations and representatives from several countries, including China, India and Brazil, as well as members of business and industry NGOs.

Dalli welcomed initiatives such as the Open Dialogue between CoP parties and NGO constituencies, as well as the very first Gender Action Plan achieved under the Convention and the agreement reached on the platform for indigenous and local community climate action.

“The main message from this conference was the importance of a bottom-up approach. It lies in the strength our people, the communities, cities and regions hold in shaking and stirring policy makers into action,” she said. “This is the way forward if we want effective action that can deliver when it comes to Climate Change.”

The European Union, together with Canada and China, have taken the lead in filling some of the void on climate change leadership left by US President Donald Trump´s decision to quit the 2015 Paris climate pact by curbing its own greenhouse emissions.