The UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) took place from 6 to 18 November. Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr attended COP27 in her capacity as Mayor of Freetown and C40Cities Vice President. It was great to start her time at COP27 with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (WTO Director General) and HE Mia Amor Mottley (Prime Minister of Barbados) two women who are leading the fight against #ClimateChange with an emphasis on equity for Developing Countries through appropriate trade policies and just financing access and terms.
The focus of the mayor’s interventions during COP27 days was to stress the importance of cities and local authorities in addressing the climate crisis and the urgent need for financing to be made available to developing countries in respect of the loss and damage caused by climate change. This is very relevant to our own city as we seek to Transform Freetown against the backdrop of increasing climate change-induced natural disasters.
Mayor Yvonne spoke on panels and addressed meetings with C40 Cities Finance, Adrienne Arsht Rockefeller Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, World Resource Institute & Luxembourg Govt, and the Bezo Earth Fund. She also held bilateral meetings including with the CEO of the Robert Bosch Foundation, her co-panelists and speakers included Former President of Mexico HE Felipe Calderon, Rt Hon James Cartlidge, UK Exchequer Secretary, Nigel Toppings UK’s High-Level Climate Champion, Mayor of Bristol Marvin Reese, and Environmentalist Wanjira Mathai.
Every engagement was an opportunity to share one or more aspects of the work that she is doing in Freetown to address climate change which include but is not limited to #FreetownTheTreeTown through which 635,000 trees have already been planted towards the 1m tree target; the clean cooking fuel research project in Susan’s Bay; the Cable Car project which is now in the full feasibility stage; and the heat resistant market shade covers that have been installed in 3 markets in Freetown.
Every engagement was also an opportunity for the Mayor to remind the world that African cities like Freetown have hardly contributed to creating the climate crisis but are now disproportionately impacted by the consequences of climate change. Her mantra, which was positively received, is that there is a huge need for funding adaptation work in developing countries and the need is urgent! Mayor Yvonne is confident that her participation at COP27 will release finance for specific climate change interventions in Freetown and she will be following up on translating the conversations into action.
