10 October 2008: The international Conference on “Competitive Cities and Climate Change,” organized by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), took place from 9-10 October 2008, in Milan, Italy. The event provided the opportunity for mayors from some of the world’s most important and influential cities to both address common challenges and share best practices on climate solutions.

Noting that the majority of the world’s population lives in cities, accounting for 60-80% of emissions, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría underlined that cities are “key actors in our efforts to achieve long-term sustainable solutions to the global climate change challenge.” During discussions, mayors outlined how market-based systems could save energy, reduce greenhouse gases (GHG), and provide “green jobs.” They focused on the relationship between urbanization and climate change, and the implications of climate change for urban policy making, in particular in relation to competitiveness objectives. [OECD Press Release]