Cities are on the front line of climate impacts. They are home to most of the world’s population and economic activity and generate the majority of global emissions. Yet they’re also hubs of innovation and implementation, putting them at the center of efforts to tackle the climate crisis and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, resilient economy. But, when it comes to climate action, much of the attention focuses on the role of national governments, while the essential role of collaboration among city, regional and national governments is often overlooked.
From transportation and housing to energy and waste, what happens in cities can make or break a country’s national climate goals.
Recognizing the central role of multilevel governance in climate action, the COP28 presidency launched the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships, or CHAMP, for Climate Action in December 2023. The initiative, created in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies and supported by WRI and other government, academic and nonprofit groups, aims to strengthen collaboration between national and subnational governments in planning and implementing climate targets.
To date, Colombia and 77 other countries — together representing 34% of the global population, 58% of global GDP and 36% of global emissions — have joined CHAMP.
In September 2025, Colombia submitted its updated nationally determined contribution, or NDC, to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The country pledged to limit emissions by 2035 to between 155 million and 161 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. The plan also calls for stronger coordination between national and subnational levels to ensure effective climate action to progress toward national targets. This NDC outlines Colombia’s path to carbon neutrality by 2050, as set out in its long-term climate strategy, “E2050”.
But how do such commitments translate into concrete action?
Since Colombia endorsed the CHAMP initiative, WRI has provided technical assistance to national and local governments to turn multilevel collaboration into reality. Nationally, WRI has worked with the government to engage subnational actors in updating the 2025 NDC and to identify gaps in how urban measures are being implemented. At the city level, it has helped city governments review their plans, identify projects that advance both national and local climate goals, and prioritize those that are high impact and feasible.
In cities such as Cali, Valledupar and Montería, several short-term projects are already advancing local priorities and helping to implement Colombia’s NDC and E2050 on the ground.
Cali’s Public Buildings Solar Rooftops Initiative
Colombia’s electricity mix is one of the cleanest in the world: Almost 75% comes from renewable sources, primarily hydropower. Yet the country still relies on fossil fuels — mostly coal and gas — to meet part of its electricity demand. In Cali, for example, the latest 2021 data show that about 10% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions come from electricity used in homes, businesses and public buildings.
To cut emissions and reduce fossil-fuel use, Cali’s government is launching an ambitious project to turn the roofs of selected public buildings into interconnected solar power plants. These installations will generate local, carbon-free electricity to power schools, healthcare facilities and municipal services while also creating new jobs in the energy sector.
By producing electricity locally and storing part of it in batteries, the city can reduce dependence on fossil-fuel-based power from the national grid and build greater resilience to energy supply fluctuations. This is particularly important in Colombia, where hydropower is vulnerable to changes in rainfall patterns caused by climate change.
Valledupar’s Guatapurí River Eco-Park
Colombia is vulnerable to climate change. Its location in the tropics, combined with steep Andean landscapes and access to both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, makes the country vulnerable to extreme rainfall, landslides, flooding and coastal impacts. High levels of poverty and inequality further increase the risks associated with climate hazards.
Cities like Valledupar are already facing rising temperatures and greater flood risks, posing major challenges for urban resilience. Integrating climate adaptation into urban planning is therefore essential to protect lives, livelihoods and ecosystems. Colombia’s E2050 and NDC identify sustainable city-regions with integrated development, efficient resource and climate management as a pathway to a resilient, low-carbon future.
Valledupar is putting this vision into practice along the Guatapurí River, which flows from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range, an area experiencing more unpredictable rainfall and where rising temperatures are accelerating glacier melt.
The city plans to build a linear eco-park along the river’s eastern bank to protect a flood-risk area while encouraging walking and biking, promoting nature tourism and increasing green corridors. In addition to protecting the riverbank, it also aims to improve air quality, reduce the urban heat island effect, enhance public health and limit urban expansion and climate-exposed informal settlements.
Montería’s Botanical Garden
Biodiversity management and ecosystem services are key to building climate resilience and ensuring people’s well-being, according to Colombia’s E2050. Montería’s government is applying this vision by transforming an old wastewater treatment lagoon zone, which is currently located in an area facing future flood risks, into a green oasis with a metropolitan botanical garden.
The project will create a space for recreation and environmental education, as well as creating a permeable green area where biodiversity can thrive.
From National Goals to Local Action
The city-led projects in Cali, Valledupar and Montería help translate Colombia’s NDC and long-term strategy into tangible action. They show how local initiatives can support national emission reduction goals while improving quality of life, strengthening resilience and protecting nature.
However, advancing multilevel collaboration is not without challenges. WRI Colombia’s analysis identified key obstacles subnational governments face when implementing climate measures.
- At a local level, political support is key for integrating climate action into local priorities, such as the four-year development plans, because it helps build momentum, unlock resources and sustain long-term projects.
- Cities struggle to find clear incentives, especially financial ones, for including NDC-related actions in their local plans, making stronger national support critical.
- The technical knowledge gap for planning and implementing climate projects remains a challenge, particularly in smaller municipalities.
Working with WRI, the national government co-hosts the Strategic Committee on “Cities and Climate Change in Colombia,” a biannual forum that brings together cities, NGOs and national authorities to discuss climate action. The committee fosters multilevel collaboration by identifying active projects, synergies and facilitating coordination among governments and stakeholders.
In 2024, subnational governments were able to discuss these challenges through the forum with the national government, which is taking action on multiple fronts to create an enabling environment for cities and departments in climate action. One example is the Corridor of Climate Financing (Corredor de Financiamiento Climático de Colombia), a platform led by the National Planning Department that connects climate projects to funders and provides support.
Strengthening collaboration between national and subnational governments, as promoted by the CHAMP initiative, is crucial to overcoming these barriers and scaling up local climate projects that support the transition to a low-carbon, resilient economy.
