When ICLEI and our partners in the Federal City of Bonn and the German government began formulating a way to build on the 10-year legacy of the Resilient Cities Congress series, we were conceiving an event that could speak to, and serve, the decade before us – humanity’s best chance of preserving a livable future
A first-of-its kind virtual event, Daring Cities 2020 positioned itself as the global forum for urban leaders taking action on the climate emergency. With 100 sessions and more than 200 hours of online discussions designed with urban leaders in mind, the event unfolded over the span of three weeks. The four plenary days at the
Even as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, the climate crisis continues to impact our cities, towns and regions around the world. Daring Cities is the global, action-oriented virtual forum, designed by ICLEI and the city of Bonn, to empower urban leaders – such as mayors, city councilors, administrators, and urban thought leaders, as well as
Inspiring city initiatives in the fight against climate change have sprung up around the world, from the conversion of former landfill sites into wetlands in Buenos Aires, to Delhi closing its most polluting power plant, to Guangzhou electrifying its entire bus network. At the same time, questions linger over why cities like Lagos or Dakar
“Urban areas are at ground zero. They bear the brunt of climate disaster and are responsible for more than 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. And as urban leaders, you are on the front lines of these solutions,” António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations observed yesterday while thanking ICLEI for its longstanding work
Thanks to the likes of young global climate change activists, such as Greta Thunberg and Luisa Neubauer from Fridays for Future, UNFCCC Youth Focal Point Heeta Lakhini, and Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate, the world now recognizes the importance of youth having a voice when it comes to climate action. So it’s fitting that one of
“Since the 2015 Paris Agreement, it has been clear that we are desperately behind. So forget about dealing with climate change by 2050. We need to aim for 2030. That gives us just 10 years to quickly accelerate and implement the measures agreed to at that summit.” Coming from Gino Van Begin, Secretary General of
The climate emergency is happening right now, in our cities, towns and regions around the world. But what if we have all the solutions and political will we need already within our grasp? The global initiative Countdown, a unique collaboration powered by TED and Future Stewards, and supported by a huge array of partners, including
We hope that our stories will give you the courage to commit to rapid daring actions in your municipality, because you are the leaders of today – we know it is not easy – but this is what today’s challenges demand of you. Read the statement. On Friday 9 October, as part of the Daring
In the past years, citizen-led activism around the Fridays for Future movement and other climate justice groups have succeeded to make themselves heard, generate political momentum and mainstream climate change awareness across the broader population. Some local governments have answered these calls for action by declaring climate emergency in their cities and towns, often paired