The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) today announced the addition of Shenzhen to its international network of cities committed to taking climate change actions locally that are having an impact globally. Shenzhen joins Chinese cities Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai and brings C40’s overall membership to 68 cities from around the world.

“As one of the world’s fastest growing cities, Shenzhen shares a common understanding of the challenges other large and rapidly urbanising cities – like Rio – face in relation to climate change,” said C40 Chair, Mayor Eduardo Paes of Rio de Janeiro. “The City has also shown a commitment to finding innovative solutions to address those challenges. Welcoming Shenzhen to the C40 fulfills one of the strategic aims of my Chairmanship, which is to strengthen participation among cities from Africa, Central and Latin America, and most of Asia to ensure C40 efforts impact all corners of the world.”

Shenzhen is home to 10.6 million people and is the second largest port in China after Shanghai. As a member of the C40, Shenzhen will have the opportunity to share its experiences and expertise on climate adaptation and mitigation, and in the process learn about relevant successful initiatives underway in other C40 cities. Shenzhen has a strong emissions reduction target, pledging to reduce emissions per unit of GDP by 21% between 2010 and 2015. Shenzhen is also one of China’s first cities to pilot an emissions trading scheme and conducted the first carbon trading transaction in China.

“We have introduced significant low carbon measures including the deployment of more than 6,300 new energy vehicles – which puts Shenzhen in a leading position worldwide on EV actions – and the strict enforcement of green building standards for almost all newly constructed buildings,” said Mayor of Shenzhen Xu Qin. “We are striving to make our low carbon city development a national example of a comprehensive low carbon community.”

Chairman Paes noted that Shenzhen joins with Megacity member status effective from 31 March 2014. Shenzhen and C40 are currently negotiating an MoU that outlines three priority areas of participation: Climate Positive Development, Electric Vehicles, and Sustainable Infrastructure Finance.

Since the start of 2014, C40 has welcomed three new African cities – Cape Town, Dar Es Salaam, and Nairobi – as well as the North American city of Boston, as members.