23 July 2025

While climate objectives are typically set out by national governments and the EU, the declaration highlights the fact that it is local and regional governments that must typically carry out implementation. The corresponding funding and structural support mechanisms for climate action in local governments, also set up by the national and EU levels, is unfortunately short term and unfit for the long term nature of the challenges at hand. This mismatch is a detriment to both local governments and the attainment of our climate objectives, leading to a situation in which municipalities are expected to act on climate without the necessary funding, staffing, or structural support.

In particular, the Cologne Declaration points to making climate action both a mandatory task and a priority, recognition of climate action’s cross-cutting nature, the need for long term funding, sufficiency as a key strategy, the importance of binding climate planning mechanisms and the promotion of interoperable methodologies evidence-based policy making. The document was a result of a broad consultation process across Climate Alliance’s membership and beyond in the run up to the 2025 Climate Alliance International Conference (CAIC25) and during the 2025 Climate Alliance General Assembly held in Cologne (DE) from 9 to 11 July.