Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, as Freetown’s Mayor and C40 Co-Chair, has been a prominent voice during the 2025 UN General Assembly Climate Week in New York. On September 23, she spoke at the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Dialogue on Credible Transition Planning for Net Zero, emphasizing the critical role of cities in achieving global climate goals. She noted that 80% of C40 cities have outperformed their national governments in emissions reductions, demonstrating their frontline leadership in maintaining the 1.5°C target.
Aki-Sawyerr stressed that urban action could address 40% of the global emissions gap, provided cities gain direct access to climate finance, especially for adaptation. She called for national governments to enhance city fiscal autonomy and provide access to innovative financing mechanisms like green bonds to unlock cities’ full potential in combating climate change.
Additionally, she participated in a high-profile panel hosted by the Foreign Policy Think Tank titled “Risk, Resilience, Results: The Power of Investing in Locally Led Climate and Health Solutions.” Joined by Prof. Awa Marie Coll Seck (Former Minister of Health of Senegal), Dr. Omnia El Omrani (Vice-Chair of the Global Climate and Health Alliance), and Dr. Githinji Gitahi (Group CEO of Amref Health Africa), the discussion likely focused on integrating local leadership in climate and health strategies, though specific details of the panel’s outcomes are not fully available in the provided context.
