Since launching in early 2025, the Town Hall COP Initiative has gained momentum, with 70+ local governments and civil society organizations registered to host an event. Seven cities in six countries have already hosted their events, and South Africa became the first national government to officially endorse the initiative. Read on for the latest updates on how local voices are shaping climate action ahead of COP30.

As the world accelerates toward COP30 and the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0), communities across the globe are stepping up through the Town Hall COP Initiative, a locally driven model for ensuring climate action is locally led, transformation-oriented, and nationally relevant.

Since the program’s launch on Earth Day 2025, more than 70 local governments and civil society organizations worldwide have registered to host an event, becoming part of a growing movement committed to connecting communities with national and global climate discussions. 

Town Hall COPs in every region after just two months

Town Hall COPs have now been held in Muğla and İzmir (Türkiye); Malmö (Sweden); Riverside (USA); Pohang (Republic of Korea); and Campinas (Brazil).

Beyond local governments, the initiative has also had a wider reach, with academia, youth-led organizations, civil society, and the private sector hosting their own Town Hall COPs. Events have taken place in Macau (China), the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement and Kampala (Uganda), and at Penn State University (USA), demonstrating the initiative’s flexibility and inclusive approach.

On 13 March 2025, Greater Sydney hosted the first Town Hall COP of the year, convening representatives from 16 local councils across the region for a day of honest conversation, collaborative problem-solving, and future-focused planning.

“Town Hall COPs like ours present this ideal opportunity to mobilize locally, bringing together diverse stakeholders to influence national, regional and global outcomes for inclusive, bold climate action,” said Elizabeth Adamczyk, Councilor, City of Newcastle, Australia, and Chair of the ICLEI Oceania Regional Executive Committee.

From the outset, the event was led by local priorities. Discussions centered on what councils were already doing, where they faced barriers, and how they could scale up impact, highlighting the Town Hall COP’s emphasis on being community-led and shaped by local knowledge.

National governments see the value of Town Hall COPs

South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) announced its official endorsement of the Town Hall COP Initiative, becoming the first national government to formally do so. This endorsement aligns with South Africa’s G20 Presidency priorities, such as innovation for sustainable development.

“The Town Hall COPs present a valuable opportunity to localize climate dialogue, amplify voices from communities and municipalities, and collectively shape South Africa’s NDC and position for COP30,” said Maesela Kekana, Deputy Director-General for Climate Change and Air Quality.

To bring this commitment to life, ICLEI and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) have partnered to host a series of Town Hall COPs across the country.

“For the first time, the national government has committed to bringing NDC consultations to the local level through this platform. This is unprecedented, and it signals a real shift toward co-ownership of climate action,” said Dorah Marema, Head of the Municipal Sustainability Portfolio at SALGA.

Organizations and networks are invited to partner with the Town Hall COP Initiative

Local and regional government networks, and other partner organizations, are now invited to partner in support of this exciting initiative. Institutions interested in becoming a supporting partner can express their interest – a great opportunity to align our work, contribute to meaningful climate dialogue, and help scale a model already gaining traction around the world.

Youth find their voices in the Town Hall COP model

As a community-centered process, Town Hall COPs call for the inclusion of diverse voices, from local governments and civil society to youth, the private sector, and other grassroots actors.

As the initiative scales up in 2025, youth leadership is playing a prominent role. Nearly one-third of current Town Hall COP applications are youth-led, with many exploring synergies with Local Conferences of Youth (LCOYs), in-country, youth-led events that feed into the Global Youth Statement submitted to the UNFCCC by YOUNGO.

One notable example comes from Brazil, where the Campinas Town Hall COP showed how youth are stepping up with fresh ideas, energy, and urgency.

From 11–13 June 2025, the City of Campinas hosted a Town Hall COP as part of the 2nd ICLEI Southeast Regional Meeting. Together with ICLEI South America, they launched Mutirão pelo Clima, a public call for youth-led proposals focused on adaptation and resilience. Inspired by the second letter from the COP30 Presidency, the initiative invited young people, collectives, associations, and educational institutions to present actions addressing climate impacts at the local level.

These proposals are examples of “self-determined contributions, “voluntary, place-based actions that complement NDCs by linking global ambition to local realities.

Two youth leaders took the spotlight at the Campinas Town Hall COP: Joana Gabriela, ICLEI Youth Council representative, and member of GYBN, Engajamundo, RBBC, Global Shapers, and founder of Women Who Feed Cities; and Amanda Costa, founder and executive director of Perifa Sustentável.

Youth also contributed directly to the Campinas Statement, the official outcome document of the event. This statement responds to the call of the Climate Task Force launched by the COP30 Presidency, addressing biodiversity and climate challenges through a lens of justice, inclusion, and multilevel collaboration.

This participatory approach is now being scaled up across Brazil. ICLEI South America is working with youth councils, Engajamundo, GYBN, and universities to ensure youth participation in every Brazilian Town Hall COP, including at least two youth panelists at each event.

Daring Cities 2025 backs the Town Hall COP initiative

Throughout the year, Daring Cities has focused on leveraging the initiative as a platform for local and regional governments to better understand national climate plans (NDCs) and demonstrate how their communities can contribute to implementation.

Leaders and experts have been invited to reflect on the importance of the initiative through dedicated webinars. During the recent Daring Cities 2025 Bonn Dialogues, held alongside SB62 sessions, a deep dive discussion group on the Town Hall COP Initiative brought together leaders across all levels of government and civil society to explore how locally led action can inform national planning and foster cooperation.

Looking ahead, the Daring Cities Virtual Forum will feature special online sessions featuring the initiative. On 9 July at 10:00 CEST, the kick off session, “Ground Up, National Impact: Making Town Hall COPs Matter for National Climate Action” will share lessons learned from host communities and introduce the new National Engagement Letter, a tool that local organizers can use to connect with national governments and ensure their participation in climate planning and implementation.

Town Hall COPs are more than events, they are the foundation of a new model for multilevel climate governance. They empower communities to speak, contribute, and shape the path toward climate action from the ground up.

As COP30 approaches, the message is clear: Local voices matter, and through the Town Hall COPs, they’re not just being heard; they’re helping lead the way.