COVID-19 updates from the Global Covenant of Mayors
"As now nearly all regions around the world are feeling the impact of COVID-19 in some way, I know that many of you are likely to be experiencing this first-hand, as your governments or the local governments you work with move their focus to containment and protection, first, and soon onto economic recovery. All of us at the Global Secretariat hope that you are focusing foremost on your personal wellbeing and that of your friends and loved ones. You are at the frontlines of the mission we collectively share with cities and local governments, and your health and safety are the topmost priority." Amanda Eichel, Executive Director of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy
Welcome to this special edition of the GCoM Newsletter. For the coming months, GCoM will be sending a regular newsletter to share latest updates, resources, and references to COVID-19-related efforts - across our Regional Covenants, from our partners, and in local governments. We hope these newsletters will be able to provide valuable support and resources, in the most active and efficient way possible.
The Global Covenant of Mayors is working closely with all of our global and regional partners to share some of the latest information, tools, and resources for cities around COVID-19.
C40 Cities
The C40 Knowledge Hub is an open, online platform for city practitioners and decision-makers, that brings together insights, practical experiences and tried-and-tested approaches from cities across the world leading in climate action. The Hub provides all cities and local governments access to policy briefs, technical guidance as well as the latest data and research to accelerate climate action on a bigger scale, no matter where they are on their climate journey. All GCoM cities and partners are invited to register for the Knowledge Hub. Registered users are able to connect with other users on the site, participate in online discussion forums as well as save resources most useful to them.
The C40 Knowledge Hub is a space where GCoM and partners are working to centralize relevant resources for all cities as they cope with the coronavirus pandemic. The site will be updated regularly with useful resources and tools for cities as they respond to the virus in the short-term, as well as practical advice emerging from cities over the coming weeks. All updates will be shared weekly in the Regions Portal.
The current collection of resources includes:
Lessons on safe and effective COVID-19 testing - an overview of different testing technologies and examples of city approaches to administering them.
Emerging best practice on physical distancing in cities. Article outlining the approaches cities are taking to encourage and enforce physical distancing.
How Seoul and South Korea are fighting COVID-19. South Korea’s response to COVID-19 is world-leading in its effectiveness. Read Seoul’s case study.
What every mayor needs to know about this virus. Lessons from Mayor of Seattle on Seattle’s experience of coping with COVID-19, the virus arrived in the city ahead of many US cities. Also posted in Spanish.
A live COVID-19 portal signposting to publicly available peer-to-peer support networks and city action trackers, as well as webinars and online events on COVID-19.
Index of journalism and other resources on COVID-19 that is relevant for cities.
C40 Cities Knowledge Hub is working on additional articles on cities' immediate responses to COVID-19 that will be published over the coming weeks, as well as sharing case studies from cities as they hear of best practices emerging.
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies has launched a daily update newsletter on COVID-19, highlighting key information that city leaders. Subscribe here.
As part of the wider Bloomberg Philanthropies response to COVID-19, the organization has set up a series of initiatives that can be found at this link:
The Coronavirus Local Response Initiative
The Coronavirus Global Response Initiative
The NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund
The EU Covenant of Mayors
The EU Covenant of Mayors Office published a blog with a list of initiatives that support local governments in facing the COVID19 crisis.
United Cities and Local Governments - UCLG
#BeyondTheOutbreak Live Learning Experience - co-convened by UCLG, UN-Habitat, and Metropolis to facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences between local and regional governments on their critical role in this unprecedented situation.
A video message from UCLG President and Mayor of Al Hoceima, Morocco, Mohamed Boudra
The cultural mobilization of cities and local governments in the COVID-19 crisis
Cities for Global Health platform - Discover the virtual platform where cities are doing and be inspired by others regarding specific initiatives or plans to the COVID-19 outbreak other health emergencies
Resources from UCLG's Regional Sections
What Local Governments Need To Know in Tackling Covid-19 Challenge
Mayor of Moscow Led the Task Force on Combating the COVID-19 in Russia
EUROCITIES
EUROCITIES has launched a platform to inform about cities activities in the coronavirus crisis as well as a link to EU information on funding and other topics and an updated list of our events
Takeaways from the EUROCITIES webinar on EU funding to fight coronavirus
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability
Regions
IUC-LAC
The International Urban Cooperation Programme of the European Union for Latin America and the Caribbean (IUC-LAC), which implements the Global Covenant of Mayors in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean (GCoM LAC), issued a statement on the crisis caused by the new Coronavirus and the role of Mayors and local leaders in this period. Read IUC-LAC statement in English, Spanish and Portuguese
City Spotlight
In the midst of the COVID 19 crisis, the municipality of Godoy Cruz, Argentina, remains committed to fighting Climate Change by developing virtual campaigns on sustainable mobility, clean energy, water stewardship, recycling & circular economy. Read more (in Spanish)
Press Highlights
Green Focus Pledged for EU’s Virus Recovery Plan - Bloomberg
Thinking ahead: For a sustainable recovery from COVID-19 (Coronavirus) - World Bank Blogs
Bogotá Company Deploys 400 Free E-Bikes to Help Health Workers Respond to COVID-19 - TheCityFix
Key Considerations: COVID-19 in Informal Urban Settlements - Social Science in Humanitarian Action
New COVID-19 “readiness kit” released for cities - CitiesToday
Webinars & Events
COMING UP:
Webinar: April 15, 2020: #BeyondTheOutbreak Live Learning Experience - Session on Technology (UCLG, UN-Habitat, and Metropolis)
PAST:
Webinar: City Resilience Stories Webinar Series - COVID-19: Coping, Learning & Building Urban Resilience (ICLEI). In case you missed it, watch here.
Webinar: #BeyondTheOutbreak Live Learning Experience - Building the Community (UCLG)
First session (March 25, 2020). In case you missed it, watch the key inputs here.
First Thematic Session - Housing: Consolidating public services to ensure everyone can safely stay at home (April 1, 2020). In case you missed it, watch here.
Second Thematic Session - Mobility & Public Transport ( April 8, 2020). In case you missed it, watch here.
Third Thematic Session - Role of Local Governments Associations (April 9, 2020). Link will be shared soon.
Webinar: Leave No One Behind in COVID-19 Prevention, Response, and Recovery (UNDRR). In case you missed it, watch here.
Newsletter first published here: https://mailchi.mp/globalcovenantofmayors/mayors4climate-october-2019-newsletter-3478037