By John Baimba Sesay

Freetown Mayor and C40 Co-Chair, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE, on Tuesday 23 September, addressed the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Dialogue on Credible Transition Planning for Net Zero in New York as part of her 2025 UN General Assembly Climate Week.

She underscored that 80% of C40 cities have already achieved greater emissions reductions than their national governments, proving that cities on the climate frontlines are vital to keeping the 1.5°C target alive.

Mayor Aki-Sawyerr highlighted that urban action could close 40% of the global emissions gap, but only if cities gain direct access to climate finance, particularly for adaptation. She urged national governments to create enabling environments that strengthen city fiscal autonomy, and provide access to innovative financing tools such as green bonds; critical steps to unlocking the full potential of cities in the fight against climate change.

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