Implementation Roadmap 2026-2028

June 23, 2026

The case for multilevel partnerships has never been stronger, and the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP) for Climate Action has never been more important. By strengthening cooperation between national and subnational actors, CHAMP-endorsing countries demonstrate how multi-actor engagement can sustain momentum toward climate goals and foster clean and resilient local transitions.

Launched by the COP28 Presidency and Bloomberg Philanthropies, CHAMP brings together national governments committed to collaborating with cities, states and regions in climate policy and finance. The coalition has grown to 78 endorsers, reflecting an expanding global commitment to multilevel governance as a cornerstone of effective climate action.

Building on this momentum, the CHAMP Implementation Roadmap sets out CHAMP's strategic priorities for 2026–2028, while also identifying key activities. These activities are designed to reinforce and build on the CHAMP pledge1, helping CHAMP-endorsing countries go further and faster in delivering on their commitments.

In doing so, it complements the COP30 Action Agenda, supports the Multilevel Governance Activation Group's Plan to Accelerate Solutions, and takes account of the priorities of the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) constituency, creating opportunities for collaboration and shared delivery.

Strategy

The CHAMP Implementation Roadmap is organised around three pillars:

  • Pillar 1 aims to position multilevel partnerships at the heart of climate governance, advocating for greater contribution and recognition of subnational actors globally and in national planning and policy processes, and ensuring progress is tracked and reported.

  • Pillar 2 seeks to strengthen the systems and partnerships that enable national and subnational governments to work together effectively, drawing on a growing evidence base and the support of aligned partner organisations where capacity and mandate allow.

  • Pillar 3 works to scale up and unlock the means of implementation, including finance and investment, at the subnational level by aligning national climate finance strategies with subnational priorities, coordinating the project preparation ecosystem, and advocating for institutional reform so that climate funding reaches cities, states and regions.

The three pillars are designed to reinforce one another: progress on governance helps create the enabling conditions for delivery which in turn helps to mobilise the funding needed to accelerate action at scale.

How we work

CHAMP operates under a country-led governance structure, guided by Co-chairs and a Steering Group composed of CHAMP-endorsing countries. The Steering Group holds overall strategic responsibility for the CHAMP Implementation Roadmap, with CHAMP-endorsing countries responsible for leading delivery on the ground and taking concrete steps to advance multilevel climate action.

CHAMP partners – including multilateral organisations, subnational networks and aligned initiatives – will contribute expertise, resources and partnerships in support of country-led delivery where their capacity and mandate allow. The Secretariat will facilitate convenings and knowledge exchange, coordinate partner support, connect CHAMP-endorsing countries with the resources, expertise and partnerships available to support delivery, and capture and communicate progress.

Pillar 1: Strengthening multilevel climate governance with a view to enhance the visibility, role and contribution of sub-national actors

Goal: CHAMP-endorsing countries have deepened their engagement with the CHAMP coalition, and the global climate governance architecture has strengthened its recognition of subnational governments as critical partners to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Lead responsibility: Steering Group and Secretariat, with active engagement from CHAMP-endorsing countries.

Under this pillar, the CHAMP Steering Group works to deepen engagement with CHAMP-endorsing countries, ensure subnational voices are heard more clearly in global and national climate decision-making, seek greater recognition of the role of subnational governments across a targeted set of global climate governance instruments and reports and support transparent, country-led review processes.

Activities

1.1 Enhance multilevel climate dialogue:

  • Convene an annual High-Level Political Dialogue bringing together national and subnational leaders from CHAMP-endorsing countries to showcase progress and drive global engagement and diplomacy [Secretariat].

  • Build formal links between CHAMP and other multilateral and sectoral initiatives to strengthen alignment and impact [Steering Group and Secretariat].

1.2 Influence global governance instruments and reports:

  • Secure strong recognition of multilevel partnerships as integral to effective climate action in the Global Implementation Accelerator (GIA) report [Steering Group].

  • Facilitate a positive response to the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities (SR), highlighting the report's recognition of multilevel partnerships as a key enabler of climate action [Steering Group].

  • Advocate for the Second Global Stocktake (GST2) to reiterate the value of local and subnational actors as indispensable partners to national governments for implementing climate action [Steering Group].

  • Ensure Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) contain strengthened multilevel governance content that demonstrates intentional and strategic linkages between national and subnational levels [CHAMP-endorsing countries].

  • Foster connections with related initiatives and processes to mainstream local and regional dimensions, unlock synergies, and secure complementary, coordinated action

1.3 Encourage transparent, voluntary country-led review processes:

  • Leverage existing national reporting and review processes as a voluntary mechanism for assessing progress on the implementation of CHAMP commitments at national and subnational level [CHAMP-endorsing countries].

  • Develop common approaches and guidance for integrating voluntary multilevel reviews into existing national reporting and review processes, applicable across different national contexts [Secretariat and CHAMP partners].

  • Facilitate exchange of good practices and lessons learned among CHAMP-endorsing countries that have integrated multilevel reviews into existing national reporting and review processes, to support other countries developing similar approaches [Secretariat and CHAMP partners].

Building on the global engagement and governance architecture advanced under Pillar 1, Pillar 2 focuses on the practical, country-level conditions needed to deliver multilevel climate action on the ground.

Pillar 2: Catalysing partnerships for local delivery

Goal: CHAMP-endorsing countries have strengthened multilevel partnership mechanisms so that subnational priorities and efforts are integrated into the design, financing and delivery of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).

Lead responsibility: Secretariat and CHAMP partners, with CHAMP-endorsing countries as primary implementers.

Under this pillar, CHAMP-endorsing countries move from ambition to action, building the enabling conditions, partnerships and delivery mechanisms needed for effective multilevel climate implementation, including robust coordination mechanisms, integrated planning, and alignment between subnational priorities and national development policies.

Activities

2.1 Support enabling conditions for multilevel climate implementation:

  • Seek to coordinate CHAMP partner support around country needs, with a view to encouraging technical assistance, capacity building and other cooperation to be complementary and strategically aligned with CHAMP priorities where possible [Secretariat and NDC Partnership].

  • Where partner resources and mandates allow, support CHAMP-endorsing countries to establish or strengthen coordination mechanisms, develop integrated implementation plans, and create a strong foundation for investment mobilisation [CHAMP partners].

2.2 Ensure access to relevant data, knowledge and tools:

  • Develop case studies, guidance, and other resources tailored to the multilevel implementation needs of CHAMP-endorsing countries and maintain a publicly accessible CHAMP knowledge hub, connecting with relevant content across partner-owned resource platforms [Secretariat and CHAMP partners].

  • Publish an annual CHAMP progress, impact and learnings report to demonstrate the value of multilevel partnerships and support informed decision-making [Secretariat].

2.3 Facilitate knowledge exchange and good practice sharing:

  • Convene peer exchanges for CHAMP-endorsing countries through dedicated CHAMP events and targeted participation at key international events to share experiences and practical approaches to implementation [Secretariat and CHAMP partners].

  • Support ongoing knowledge sharing across the CHAMP community to enhance collaboration and promote good practice and shared learning on multilevel climate governance and implementation [Secretariat and CHAMP partners].

Leveraging the enabling conditions, partnerships and delivery mechanisms advanced under Pillar 2, Pillar 3 works to unlock the finance and investment flows needed to sustain long-term multilevel climate action at scale.

Pillar 3: Scaling up and unlocking the means of implementation, including finance and investment, at the subnational level

Goal: CHAMP-endorsing countries have established robust pathways to scale up and unlock subnational government access to climate finance, with subnational priorities integrated into national and global investment plans.

Lead responsibility: Steering Group, Secretariat and CHAMP partners, with CHAMP-endorsing countries as primary implementers.

Under this pillar, CHAMP-endorsing countries move from planning to investment mobilisation by translating subnational climate priorities into investable projects and portfolios, strengthening regulatory and institutional frameworks, and building reliable pathways for public and private finance to reach regional and local governments.

Activities

3.1 Integrate subnational priorities into national climate finance strategies and investment plans:

  • Facilitate coordination and knowledge exchange between CHAMP-endorsing countries and CHAMP partners on subnational climate finance strategies and engaging national finance ministries, planning agencies, the private sector and other stakeholders [Secretariat and CHAMP partners].

3.2 Enable a coordinated approach to project preparation:

  • Convene project preparation providers, national government ministries, finance institutions and private sector investors with a view to building coordinated national-level approaches to project and portfolio development [Secretariat, CHAMP partners and CHAMP-endorsing

  • countries].

  • Where partner resources and mandates allow, support CHAMP-endorsing countries in building capacity and technical capabilities for subnational project preparation to strengthen the pipeline of bankable investment opportunities [CHAMP partners].

3.3 Advocate for reform of finance and development institutions and climate funds:

  • Develop reform proposals or recommendations for domestic and international development finance institutions, and vertical climate funds so that they better reflect the needs, opportunities and constraints of subnational governments [Steering Group and CHAMP partners].

  • Convene multi-stakeholder dialogues with domestic and international development finance institutions, and vertical climate funds to build consensus around reform needs and strengthen coordination on implementation [CHAMP partners].

  • Champion reform of domestic finance institutions and vertical climate funds within national policy processes to increase subnational access to climate finance [CHAMP-endorsing countries].