The Covenant of Mayors is the world’s largest movement of cities and regions delivering climate and energy action, currently reinforcing its role by aligning its climate pledge to the European Union’s objective of reaching climate neutrality by 2050, combined with a launch of a new Chamber of National Ambassadors. For this, 27 members of the European Committee of the Regions, one from each EU Member State, are declared national ambassadors. For the Renew Europe Group in the European Committee of the Regions (Renew Europe CoR), Robert Van Asten (The Netherlands), Gunārs Ansiņš (Latvia) and Andres Jaadla (Estonia) will take on this role.

Robert Van Asten, alderman of The Hague municipality said: “As a National Covenant Ambassador, I will make a strong case for a shift towards clean and active mobility, road safety and the accessibility as well as affordability of public transport connections: all are indispensable preconditions for a successful implementation at the regional and local level.”

Gunārs Ansiņš, Vice-Mayor of Liepāja highlighted public transportation investments to achieve climate neutrality: “Choosing to support public transport services creates a more pleasant urban environment with significantly less air and noise pollution. I give the green light for an even greener Liepāja, Latvia and Europe!”

Andres Jaadla, Deputy Mayor of Rakvere, added: “My city of Rakvere was one of the first 370 signatories of the Covenant of Mayors in Europe in 2009. We now have ambitious plans to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 40% by 2030 to increase resilience to climate change by being climate neutral by 2035. As Estonian national Ambassador in the CoR on Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, I have goal to give feedback on local actions to national, European and international policymakers. This helps to show that the Covenant of Mayors is a consolidated movement of voluntary committed local authorities, driving climate action and local sustainable development”.

The primary goal of the National Ambassadors of the Covenant of Mayors is to endorse and reinforce the initiative in every Member State, to take part in country-specific activities and to reinforce links and cooperation with Members of the European Parliament and National Governments. The Chamber of National Ambassadors also aims to establish contact with cities and municipalities that could benefit from technical support and financial guidance and become active agents in delivering climate action.

The Covenant of Mayors was launched in 2008 by the European Commission, jointly with the European Committee of the Regions, to support cities and regions with delivering the EU’s 2020 climate and energy targets. The Covenant of Mayors aligns itself with the EU’s objective to cut 55% of GHG emissions by 2030 and become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

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@RvanAsten, @eumayors new National Covenant Ambassador: ➡🗣"The Covenant will help us to fast-track the transition towards #climateneutrality in the EU. It leaves no doubt that #sustainable #mobility is a crucial part of this mission we have committed ourselves to" pic.twitter.com/C4DwUlW1KV

— Renew Europe CoR (@RenewEuropeCoR) April 21, 2021

Gunārs Ansiņš, as national covenant ambassador for @eumayors, focuses on public transport investments:
➡🗣"These investments are important for the transition to environmentally friendly & modern public transport that is convenient and accessible to passengers" pic.twitter.com/VztgdeK1Rj

— Renew Europe CoR (@RenewEuropeCoR) April 21, 2021

@eumayors national covenant ambassador @andresjaadla cites the example of his city of Rakvere, which plays a key role in fighting #climatechange in Estonia, with ambitious plans, driving climate action & local sustainable development: pic.twitter.com/XxaUS936Ma

— Renew Europe CoR (@RenewEuropeCoR) April 21, 2021

Photo credit: Renew Europe CoR