Enhancing local climate action: Moving toward greater and greener resilience 

This blog post was written by Dewi Sari and Kanak Gokarn with contributions from the Resilient Development and Sustainable Energy teams of ICLEI World Secretariat. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has brought renewed attention to the close connections between our natural environments, economies, and human well-being. While cities have been contending with the immediate health impacts 

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Decarbonizing transport: Powering vehicles with renewable energy is the way forward

This blog was written by Karishma Asarpota, Jr. Officer, Climate & Energy Action, and Himanshu Raj, Officer, Sustainable Mobility  Global energy demand in the transport sector is on the rise due to the growing population and increased movement of people and goods. In 2018, the transport sector was responsible for 25 percent of direct CO2 

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In response to COVID-19, cities focus on nature and innovation to ensure a green recovery

“We are now facing two global crises, the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. Post-COVID-19 recovery should not mark the return to a conventional society, but rather, the shift to a more sustainable and resilient society by redesigning our socio-economic system.” This was the opening statement from H.E. Koizumi Shinjiro, the Minister of Environment of Japan 

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Methods and myths of sustainable development

Sustainable isn’t attainable when it comes to urban development and growth. Or at least that’s the prevailing perception many naysayers have, said Carolina Schmidt, Chile’s Minister of Environment  during the recent TEDxDaringCities session entitled: Embedding Climate Neutrality Ambition Through Sustainable Development.  Citing figures from the World Bank, Schmidt said that investing $40 billion USD in 

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Japanese cities take a circular approach to energy and decarbonization

Local and regional governments are not waiting for their national governments to take climate action. In Japan, local governments have been stepping forward to make ambitious commitments to zero carbon by 2050. For example, Tokyo has declared a “Climate Crisis Mobilization” as their commitment to respond to the climate emergency and through its Zero Emission 

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Why cities, towns and regions are creating a roadmap towards 100% renewable energy

Tackling the climate emergency – a security, socioeconomic and environmental crisis – requires the unprecedented transformation of energy systems and an immediate transition to renewable energy across all sectors. For a perspective on why cities and regions are going renewable and what a roadmap to 100% renewables looks like at the subnational level, we talked 

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Africa leads the way in green buildings – a key enabler for renewables on the continent

Passive design and insulation can reduce a building’s energy demand and the city’s overall demand for energy, making renewables a more viable option. Increasingly, African cities have guidelines to make these shifts, but the challenge lies in making them legal requirements. As global awareness around the impact of fossil fuels and the need for cleaner 

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Copenhagen’s Four-Fold Path to Carbon Neutrality: An ambitious plan to cut carbon emissions and create a sustainable future

By John J. Berger, PhD, an energy and environmental policy specialist based in the San Francisco Bay Area, who is currently working on a new book on resolving the climate crisis. — Copenhagen, Denmark—How does a major European capital wean itself from fossil fuels and reinvent itself as a sustainable city? Having already cut its CO2 

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How district energy solutions are changing cities

An increasing number of cities across the world are getting on board and reaping the benefits of district energy. According to the report District Energy in Cities published by UN Environment in partnership with ICLEI, UN-Habitat and the Copenhagen Centre on Energy Efficiency, cities around the world are adopting district energy systems. So why is 

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Rotterdam implements energy transition and climate measures

By John J. Berger, PhD, an energy and environmental policy specialist based in the San Francisco Bay Area, who is currently working on a new book on resolving the climate crisis. — The City of Rotterdam has an abiding interest in cost-effective ways of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. One of its main strategies is 

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