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Mark Watts

@mark--watts.bsky.social
282 followers 64 following 162 posts

Executive Director at C40 Cities | TIME100 climate leader | All views my own | He/him | Talks about climate 🌱, music 🎸 mountain running ⛰️ markontour.com

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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
This was one of those rare meetings when you know every single participant is going to go away and actually do something. And, of course, this is not just about tools and tech, it’s about building trust, raising awareness, and ultimately saving people’s lives.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
And we then heard from an amazing range of partners what they can do to help, from analytical tools to mobilising practical help on the ground.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
All three mayors spoke passionately about the vital role early warning systems have to play, underpinned by the sobering statistic that countries with limited systems suffer nearly six times more disaster-related deaths than those with comprehensive arrangements in place.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Today, C40 Cities, Harvard's Salata Institute and the Atlantic Council convened Paris, Jakarta, Freetown, and partners from across the health, insurance, community, humanitarian, philanthropy and research sectors to organise the immediate, collective action needed to save lives.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Cities worldwide are already feeling the impact: - LATAM: Mayors in 9 cities report severe flooding & emergency conditions - Nairobi: The Governor cancelled his trip to NY to lead urgent extreme rainfall planning - Japan: Typhoon Dujuan is causing over 1.9 million people to face evacuation orders
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Yesterday, just as I was arriving to participate in a roundtable on extreme heat, my newsfeed was buzzing with the latest data showing the Pacific is already registering 3 degrees of excess heat. Analysts think it could ultimately hit a jaw-dropping 4 degrees: lnkd.in/e7NWPucA
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
One of the biggest themes across New York Climate Week is how to cope with the extreme heat that many cities have already experienced this year, and further extreme weather that is on the way as the current Super El Niño reaches maximum intensity at the end of the year.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
"As mayors, we are confronting the same question: how do you protect millions of people when extreme heat is no longer an exceptional event, but an increasingly familiar part of summer?" Very interesting article from the mayors of Milan, Paris and Phoenix. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
We’re the mayors of Paris, Milan and Phoenix. The heat crisis has us all facing the same question | Emmanuel Grégoire, Giuseppe Sala and Kate Gallego
Our three cities are learning from each other about how to protect residents. These climate policies are also public health measures
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Chris Hinchliff MP @chrishinchliff.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Britain must prepare for El Niño. The UK is built for a climate which no longer exists. We need to grow more of our own food and prepare towns and workplaces for extreme heat. When climate shocks hit, public power must protect people so profiteers can't exploit crises.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Highly recommend making time for the @c40cities.bsky.social & LSE Nicky Gavron Memorial Lecture recording. @annehidalgo.bsky.social’s speech was extraordinary, and the dynamic with fellow mayors Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr and @mayorgallego.bsky.social was electrifying. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c9h...
youtube.com
A city for all: leading climate transformation in an era of disinformation
YouTube video by LSE Cities
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
We know enough. The task now is aligning science, finance, and policy to deliver climate action where resilience is truly built: in our cities.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
A personal reflection from Singapore stood out: long-term 15-year planning, continuously adapted, alongside a strong focus on developing workforce skills for the next phase of the economy. The pace of green development on the island nation is remarkable and offers lessons for cities everywhere.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
With investors and policymakers, we focused on a persistent challenge: why capital still isn’t flowing into cities at the scale or speed required, and what exactly needs to change.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
With @ipcc.bsky.social scientists and city leaders, we discussed how the latest IPCC cities report serves as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to translate science-backed climate evidence into real-world decisions that can benefit millions of people.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Resilience was the clear theme at the recent World Cities Summit I attended in Singapore 👇 One message stood out: urban nature is not a luxury – it is essential infrastructure for building liveable, resilient cities.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
This morning, the Lord Mayor of Melbourne @nicholasreece.bsky.social & I spoke with @news.abc.net.au to discuss how cities around the world dealing with extreme heat and flooding. I’m looking forward to sharing more insights on how Sydney and Melbourne are protecting the people and places we love.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
We spoke about how cities and other subnational leaders must be at the forefront of climate talks. On the frontline of the climate crisis, mayors and other local leaders are accepting accountability, showing collaborative leadership and delivering tangible action.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
This week I’m in Australia, visiting the two C40 member cities: Sydney and Melbourne. I joined Lord Mayor @nicholasreece.bsky.social, Cathy Oke, and Jess Miller to discuss the role of cities in shaping the COP31 agenda as Australia prepares to take on the presidency of the climate negotiations.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
In cities, resilience and nature can go hand in hand. Beijing transformed a former industrial site into a lush space that absorbs rainwater, reduces flood risk, and allows wildlife to thrive. Places like City Central Green Forest Park show what’s possible.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
It’s amazing what the shift to renewables can look like. A theme park, a transport hub, and a library – all powered by clean energy. In Beijing, the transition is visible and practical, powering the places people use every day.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
The best climate solutions do several things at once. At Shanghai's Luojing Port, ships plug in instead of burning fuel, cutting noise & cleaning the air for workers & nearby communities. The shift also helps push global shipping towards greener operations. That's the power of city climate action.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Beijing has cut PM2.5 pollution by nearly 70% since 2013, and you can feel and see the difference. More people outdoors, more cycling and running, more green spaces. Climate action woven into everyday life looks just like this.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Launched at the World Bank Spring Meetings, the report sets out practical recommendations for cities to build the financial case for adaptation. From Dakar to São Paulo, cities are already making this a reality. Investors, take note. thefifthestate.com.au/columns/spin...
thefifthestate.com.au
Cities are turning climate adaptation into investable projects
Cities are the front line of the climate crisis, yet urban adaptation remains dangerously underfunded. As Mark Watts, executive director of C40 Cities, argues, we must shift the narrative: by structur...
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
As climate risks accelerate, investment in resilience is essential - and cities are on the front lines. C40 Cities' new report confirms what cities have known all along: that well-designed adaptation projects deliver clear economic and financial value.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Photo credit: Oslo Climate Agency
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Heidi’s family, friends, and her colleagues at the City of Oslo, and in the Oslo Climate Agency, where C40 has an office, from where I write this today. Her legacy lives on in every city inspired by her roadmap for a greener world.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
I was fortunate to spend time with Heidi on many occasions, most recently in January, when Oslo invited IPCC authors to discuss the critical role of cities and celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Oslo's climate budget. She was as engaged, enthusiastic, and dynamic as ever.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Heidi was instrumental in developing climate budgeting, a groundbreaking governance system that treats carbon with the same accountability as a financial budget. Now a gold standard for transformative action, we're forever grateful for her generosity in sharing these learnings with cities worldwide.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
From her early days as an activist to her leadership in national government, Heidi’s 30-year career was defined by courage. Since 2017, as Director of Oslo’s Climate Agency, she ensured every policy was rooted in evidence, ensuring the city remains a global laboratory for innovation.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Heidi Sørensen, who passed away on 25 April after living with cancer for years, was a pioneer in the global climate movement. At C40 Cities, we remember Heidi as a tenacious innovator who proved that cities must lead the way in solving the climate crisis.
A medium shot of a smiling woman with long auburn hair and freckles, standing outdoors. She is wearing a rust-coloured, patterned dress paired with a matching cropped cardigan that has silver buttons. The background is a soft-focus view of a tree-lined walkway.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Read more in my op-ed in @climatechangenews.com with Irene Vélez-Torres, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development in Colombia: www.climatechangenews.com/2026/04/24/w...
climatechangenews.com
Why the transition beyond fossil fuels depends on cities and collective action
Cities will help identify concrete pathways for an equitable shift to clean energy at the Santa Marta conference, with C40 members aiming to halve their fossil fuel use by 2030At the Santa Marta confe...
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Cities are showing that a future beyond fossil fuels is possible - and already underway. From cutting demand to scaling clean energy, mayors and local leaders are turning ambition into delivery. The task now is to ensure that the transition is just, coordinated, and irreversible.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 15/03/2026
“Global events demonstrate there’s not a moment to waste in our drive for clean power”. observer.co.uk/news/opinion...
observer.co.uk
Ed Miliband: ‘Our mission is to drive for clean, homegrow...
As oil and gas prices soar, the UK must act to nurture green power and protect the nation from the war’s impact on household bills
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
To all the incredible women leading the way towards a fairer, cleaner, climate-safe future - including the 70% of @c40cities.bsky.social colleagues who are female & our amazing co-Chair, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Happy International Women’s Day!
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Bill Hare @billhare.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
A commentary in @nature.com argues the 1.5°C temperature limit has “outlived its usefulness” because we’re headed towards overshoot and should be replaced by a “clean-energy shift” metric. That’s the wrong diagnosis. Here is why. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
As we breach 1.5 °C, we must replace temperature limits with clean-energy targets
Actionable goals are needed to guide the world towards what needs to happen most quickly: shifting economies to clean energy sources.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
It’s also been amazing to me that 24 hours after a major snowstorm, I could safely run along fully cleared sidewalks. Mamdani’s administration is building a city that is resilient to extreme weather - and offered $30 an hour to any New Yorkers who turned up to help the fire service clear the snow.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
We discussed the new administration's climate priorities under Mayor Mamdani - including its clear understanding that tackling affordability means tackling the climate crisis. That means focusing on energy affordability and safe and healthy housing.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
Great to meet with New York’s new Chief Climate Officer, Louise Yeung and other colleagues from across the NYC city government. New York has long been a climate leader. As one of the first members of C40 Cities, it has always set the pace for bold and practical action.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
A standout moment at the #WMS25: youth activists declaring, "We do this for our today, we do this for our tomorrow, and we will do this together.” This new Hot Takes episode from the Cities 1.5 podcast brings the young voices we heard to even more people - an absolute must-listen: lnk.to/HotTakes2
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C40 Cities @c40cities.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
A $10B fraud. 2 whistleblowers. On Cities 1.5, David Miller, Managing Director of the C40 Centre and former Mayor of Toronto, speaks with Lindsay Gulden about exposing Exxon’s fraudulent ways and the disinformation playbook behind it all. c40.me/3OwZpHT
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
How 2 people helped expose a $10B Exxon scandal. I highly recommend the latest episode of Cities 1.5, where Lindsey Gulden sheds light on how Exxon’s shocking overvaluation was protected by disinformation and silence. The fossil fuel industry’s culture of deception must be stopped. lnk.to/S6E3
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
“One city does something and a hundred of us then will take it to scale. I find hope in the fact that cities can make this work” - inspiring words for difficult times from the Mayor of Austin, Kirk Watson, in the latest episode of the Cities 1.5 podcast: lnk.to/S6E2
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Privileged to accompany @london.gov.uk to welcome United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, to London today. Inspired by his leadership on climate & so much else & motivated by his message that we must up the pressure to shift off polluting fossil fuels
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
@c40cities.bsky.social @london.gov.uk @sadiqkhanlondon.bsky.social
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
We must end the fossil fuel era. UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, knows this better than anyone. I want to thank him for his steadfast climate leadership and his commitment to phasing out fossil fuels. A pleasure to meet today together with C40 Cities Co-Chair, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
An image of three men in formal attire standing side-by-side in a modern indoor setting with dark wood paneling.

From left to right:

Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities, wearing a black suit, grey tie, and a small green lapel pin.

António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, wearing a dark suit and a red patterned tie.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, wearing a navy blue suit and an open-collared white shirt.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
As implementers, city leaders are driven by multilateralism that delivers. We use data to define our goals and work with those who want to set the pace; not wait around for the delayers and wreckers. COPs need to do the same.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
What we needed was multiple coalitions of the willing for faster implementation; like the leadership shown by Colombia on the Belém Declaration on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels; and the Action Agenda, which made good progress and should be the focus of COPs going forward.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
In part, COP30 failed to adequately move from negotiation to implementation because of a perpetual focus on a lowest common denominator consensus.
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Mark Watts @mark--watts.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
My comment on the #COP30 outcome: Multilateralism needed a boost in Belém, and instead it got a bandage. The COP process needs to take a long, hard look at itself.
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C40 Cities @c40cities.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
As we wait for the official outcome of #COP30, here’s a time capsule of its last day: the outrage, the optimism, the urgency, and the sheer human effort that goes into trying to land a deal. The latest episode of @outrageoptimism.bsky.social featuring C40’s Eric Garcetti & @mark--watts.bsky.social:
outrageandoptimism.org
Inside COP: Friday Night in Belém - uncertainty in the Blue Zone
This episode is a time capsule that captures the feeling of a COP Friday: the confusion, the determination, the fear of losing ambition, and the belief, still very much alive, that progress is possibl...
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