Integrity Matters for Cities, States and Regions
To accelerate climate action, the UN Secretary General convened a High-Level Expert Group (HLEG) in 2022 to develop a series of recommendations to bring integrity, transparency and accountability to net zero for business, regions and cities. Their report - Integrity Matters - was launched at COP27 and sets out five principles and ten recommendations to guide adoption and implementation of robust net zero targets by non-state actors.

To help cities, regions and states and city and their initiatives and alliances respond to the Integrity Matters report recommendations, and ensure fit-for-purpose climate accountability mechanisms and governance structures capable of incentivising the ambition and pace and scale of action needed, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy and WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities are bringing together an Expert Working Group on Cities, States and Regions.

The purpose of this survey is to collect stakeholder input on key aspects of net zero covered by the Integrity Matters report, including pledges, targets and climate action plans. Your responses will be shared with the Expert Working Group for their consideration as they seek to translate the Integrity Matters report recommendations into practical and feasible actions for subnational policymakers, initiatives and alliances.

Please note that the term “city” is used here to refer to any subnational geographic designation including, but not limited to, subnational state or regional government; metropolitan, city or local government; and towns, boroughs and neighbourhoods.

Many thanks for taking the time to complete this survey. 

Yours Sincerely, 
The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCOM) and WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities (WRI)
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Data and privacy acknowledgement

After the survey closes, GCOM and WRI will analyse the results and share a summary with the Expert Working Group on Cities and Local Government. In this summary, responses will not be attributed to any individual respondent. Individual responses may be requested by the Expert Working Group. While GCOM and WRI will request all Expert Working Group members keep the survey data confidential, this is not a guarantee of privacy or confidentiality. Therefore, by responding to this survey, respondents are acknowledging and accepting that any of their responses could be made public. 

In order to proceed to the survey, please confirm that you consent to the data disclosure agreements outlined above.

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Respondent information
1. What is your name? *
2. What is your email address? *
3. Which organization do you represent?
4. What is your organization type?
 *
5. Which country are you from? *
Announcing a Net Zero Pledge
6a. As part of making a net zero pledge cities must adopt emissions reduction targets that either align with, or exceed, their national targets *
6b.  Please explain your selection above
7a. As part of making a net zero pledge cities must publicly disclose and report on progress against their targets and plans
 *
7b.  Please explain your selection above
8. A city should be considered and recognized as net zero aligned when:
8a. Its pledge, targets and pathway to net zero are generated using a robust methodology consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C
 *
8b. It is demonstrating progress by achieving or exceeding its interim targets with reports that are verified by a credible, independent third party based on publicly available data
 *
8c.  Please explain your selection above

9a. Who should determine whether a methodology is robust and consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C? [select all that apply]

Yes
Cities and Regions
City networks
Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Other international organisation (please specify in 9b)
Other standards organisation
Other (please specify in 9b)
Clear selection
9b.  Please explain your selection above
10a. What role should self-reported data play in demonstrating and assessing city progress? 
10b. What challenges do you anticipate cities will experience with a requirement for progress reports to be verified by a credible, independent third party based on publicly available data? 
Setting Net Zero Targets 

11a. Targets should be short-term targets for five years or less

 *

11a. The first target should be set for 2025

 *
11c.  Please explain your selection above

12a. Cities must account for the following greenhouse gas emissions in their targets

 *
12b.  Please explain your selection above

13a. Cities should include separate targets for material non-CO2 GHG emissions

 *
13b.  Please explain your selection above

13c. What threshold as a % of total city-wide GHG emissions should be applied to determine materiality?

Clear selection
The Global Protocol for Community‑Scale Greenhouse Gas Inventories (GPC) defines two reporting frameworks:

- The City-induced reporting framework measures GHG emissions attributable to activities taking place within the geographic boundary of a city. This covers selected scope 1, 2 and 3 emission sources.
- The Territorial reporting framework measures GHG emissions occurring physically within the territory defined by the geographic boundary (scope 1).

14a. Targets must include all GHG emissions captured by which of the following reporting frameworks?

Clear selection
14b.  Please explain your selection above

Residual emissions are the emissions that remain after all technically and economically feasible opportunities to reduce emissions have been implemented. 

15a. Having achieved its long-term net zero target, any residual emissions must be neutralized by permanent GHG removals according to reports verified by a credible, independent third party based on publicly available data

Clear selection
15b.  Please explain your selection above
Using Voluntary Credits

16a. Cities must prioritise urgent and deep reduction of emissions across their value chain. High integrity carbon credits in voluntary markets should be used for beyond value chain mitigation but cannot be counted toward a non‑state actor’s interim emissions reductions required by its net zero pathway

Clear selection
16b.  Please explain your selection above
Creating a Transition Plan

17a. Please indicate to what degree you agree with the following recommendations from the Integrity Matters report as they relate to cities, local government, states/regions and other subnational government entities. City or regional plans must:

 *
Strongly disagree
Somewhat disagree
Neither agree or disagree
Somewhat agree
Strongly agree
Constitute a document (or series of documents) which lays out a strategic roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening climate resilience across the community.
Be based on community engagement and consultation, and build in ongoing engagement, in particular with marginalised groups, workers and frontline communities.
Include an assessment of existing conditions including baseline emissions, regular greenhouse gas inventories, a long term emissions trajectory, accountability measures, climate risks and socioeconomic priorities.
Cover all greenhouse gases for scope 1 and 2 for transport and stationary energy (buildings and facilities), and scope 1 and 3 for waste, per the Global Protocol for Community Scale Greenhouse Gas Inventories.
Large cities should make every effort to report on scope 3 emissions, in particular those associated with sources of revenue and expenditure under the control of the revenue generating authority.
Develop a detailed overview of the strategies and actions that cities will pursue for achieving reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and improvements in climate resilience over time, and the processes of monitoring, evaluation, reporting and revision.
17b.  Please explain your selection above

18a. Climate action plans should be updated every five years

Clear selection
18b.  Please explain your selection above

19a. Cities should report on their progress on an annual basis

Clear selection
19b.  Please explain your selection above
Phasing Out of Fossil Fuels and Scaling Up Renewable Energy

20a. Within their jurisdictional boundaries, cities and regions should:


Yes
No
Other (please specify in 20b)
Not sure
Not allow permits for expansion of coal reserves
Not allow development and exploration of new coal mines
Not allow extension of existing coal mines
No coal plants by 2030 in OECD countries and in rest of the world by 2040
Not allow permits for exploration for new oil and gas fields
Not allow expansion of oil and gas reserves
End oil and gas production
Clear selection
20b.  Please explain your selection above

21a. Within their jurisdictional boundaries, cities and regions should not permit new fossil fuel‑based electricity generation

Clear selection
21b.  Please explain your selection above
Aligning Lobbying and Advocacy

22a. As part of their transition plan and annual disclosures, cities should outline the specific policies and regulations, including carbon pricing, that they would need to cut emissions in line with a 1.5°C scenario.

This disclosure should specify the emissions reductions possible if the listed policies and regulation by authorities and jurisdictions were in place.

Clear selection
22b.  Please explain your selection above
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