The green transition needs to happen at a local level, with citizens engaged in climate activism and policy, the European Commission said at the launch of the Climate Pact on Wednesday (16 December). “We know at the Commission that, if it has to happen, it has to happen locally,” said Frans Timmermans, the EU executive’s vice-president in charge of the European Green Deal. “Some of our climate ambassadors now are mayors or local government, their voices are so important because they can get things going,” he said at the launch event. The Commission introduced its climate pact last week, creating a platform to connect people working on environmental activism so they can share knowledge, raise awareness of climate change and empower citizens to take action.