As the world steps up to the challenge of tackling climate change, it’s increasingly clear that cities, states and regions have a vital role to play. By setting ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fostering innovation, they are rapidly becoming hubs driving the transition to a sustainable economy.

Gathering and sharing information is a vital starting point. The process empowers cities, states and regions to identify the risks posed by climate change – and the opportunities of acting now.

That’s where CDP comes in. We run the world’s largest environmental reporting system, with more than 570 cities, 100 states and regions and 6,300 companies reporting data to us every year.

They’re already reaping the benefits of reporting. From benchmarking progress to learning best practice, cities, states and regions are using CDP’s disclosure platform to drive meaningful change. Here are our top five reasons for starting your sustainability journey with CDP.

1) Demonstrate you are managing climate risk and cutting emissions

In the new green economy, it is not enough for cities, states and regions to claim they are tackling environmental risks.

Reporting through CDP provides international credibility. It shows international bodies, investors and policymakers that local governments are considering the impact of climate change and are taking concrete steps to reach a sustainable future. From 2019, through our new partnership with ICLEI, this data will feed directly into the international climate negotiations, where ICLEI holds observer status as lead of the LGMA - the constituency of Local Governments and Municipal Authorities

By collecting and analysing data, they can strengthen the case for ambitious environmental action at a local level too, showing citizens and elected officials that environmental action pays off.

Our data shows that cities across the world are fast becoming centres of innovation and ambition. They’re moving ahead on renewable energy, developing solutions to reduce emissions and create a cleaner environment for everyone.

2) Forge a pathway for action

For many local and regional governments starting out on their sustainability journey, half the challenge can be knowing what data to collect. CDP’s questionnaire guides them to identify the key data points, setting out in a thorough and systematic way the major risks, opportunities and sources of emissions that must be accounted for.

The disclosure process can also highlight the areas where progress can be made most effectively. For instance, the City of Sydney’s government used data it had disclosed to CDP to calculate where investments in energy efficiency would have the greatest impacts on reducing emissions.

3) Benchmark progress and share best practice

CDP’s reporting platform provides cities, states and regions with a standardised and internationally-recognised way of recording their environmental actions. Reporting to CDP year-on-year builds up a picture of how cities, states and regions are progressing, making it easy to track which actions have had the greatest impact.

It also gives them access to data from other governments far and wide, allowing them to learn from the leaders, adapting innovative approaches to sustainability to their local context.

4) Showcase projects for funding and investment

As sustainability becomes increasingly mainstream, the world of finance is looking for more opportunities to invest in green projects. It comes at a time when many local governments are looking for alternative sources of funding.

Environmental reporting can help unlock investment by providing a reliable source of information on the latest projects awaiting funding. Our data shows cities disclosing to CDP have over 1,000 projects seeking private sector investment.

Our Matchmaker program pairs up cities with investors, enabling ambitious green projects that will boost resilience in cities across the globe.

5) Access the world’s biggest networks of cities, states and regions

CDP’s reporting platform is recognized by the world’s major city coalitions and networks, including C40 Cities.

CDP is also a recognized reporting platform for the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy – alongside the carbonn Climate Registry and the EU Covenant of Mayors platform. This means that you can report your climate action data to the Global Covenant of Mayors through the CDP questionnaire.

From 2019, the ICLEI network of cities, towns and regions will report alongside C40 member cities on CDP’s online reporting platform, making it a one-stop-shop for cities around the world to disclose their environmental risks and opportunities.

Cities, states and regions are preparing to join national governments and businesses to commit to accelerating action on climate change at September’s Global Climate Action Summit in California. And twenty US states, along with a hundred cities and a thousand companies, have signalled they will push ahead on climate action through America’s Pledge.

By reporting their climate-related data to CDP, cities, states and regions can turn their commitments into action and collectively track their progress towards a low-carbon economy.

Start your disclosure process today

We believe cities, states and regions can drive the global transition to a healthier and more prosperous low-carbon economy. Disclosing to CDP harnesses the power of data to take meaningful action and unlock the opportunities that the sustainable future offers.

Find out more about how to disclose for our 2018 reporting season.