CDP’s A List cities in 2021 take bold leadership on environmental action and transparency, despite the continued pressures of tackling the coronavirus pandemic on local and national economies and societies.

A List cities are demonstrating their climate leadership through concerted and effective action, just as national governments were asked to do at COP26. They are taking twice as many mitigation and adaptation measures as non-A List cities, and also identify more than twice as many opportunities – such as the development of sustainable transport sectors and clean technology businesses – arising from the shift to a net-zero world.

Only 9.8% of cities that were scored in 2021 received an A score

To score an A, a city must disclose publicly and have a city-wide emissions inventory, have set an emissions reduction target and a renewable energy target for the future and have published a climate action plan. It must also complete a climate risk and vulnerability assessment and have a climate adaptation plan to demonstrate how it will tackle climate hazards. Many A List cities are also taking a variety of other leadership actions, including political commitment from a city’s Mayor to tackle climate change. 

To reflect the level of ambition needed to achieve 1.5°C targets, the bar for entry to the A List has been raised. As a result, in 2021, less than one in ten cities scored by CDP (9.8% of such cities) received an A. In total, 26 cities in Europe (EU-EFTA) and 95 cities worldwide were awarded the A this year.

The full 2021 A List of cities

UBC-CDP Cooperation 2021

22 UBC Member cities have participated in the reporting in 2021, and their forerunning spirit is prominent, as UBC members make almost 27% of all A List European cities! The annual report on the UBC cities’ climate actions is currently being prepared and will be shared this winter.

Take the climate action now, join the CDP reporting framework and play an active role in the transition to a low carbon economy future!