One curriculum transformed Izmir’s climate training, and created an emergency team
In Izmir, four departments stopped working in silos and built one shared curriculum, with results none of them expected.
Finance Multilevel governance Private sector engagement Resilient Development Zero emission Development
More than a good idea: The hidden work behind investment-ready projects
Through ICLEI’s Transformative Actions Program, UrbanShift cities across Asia, Africa, and Latin America are strengthening project design, financial planning, and investor engagement to move from concept to capital.
Cities and regions address opportunities and needs on key environmental issues at UN Environment Assembly
As co-focal point of the Local Authorities Major Group, ICLEI ensures cities’ and regions’ voices are represented in the UNEA process, with subnationals calling for stronger synergies with the Rio Conventions and other Multilateral Environmental Agreements.
Young Africans at the heart of the food transition: Towards sustainable, inclusive and resilient systems
Part of ICLEI’s “Youth Voices,” this guest op-ed article calls for greater recognition of young people’s potential in food policy development, as well as structural support for their initiatives.
How multilevel governance is transforming urban climate futures
Launching the report “Multilevel Governance for Integrated Urban Planning: A Guide for Multilevel Action based on learnings from UrbanShift.”
The role of Youth Councils in Brazilian local governance and how cities can unlock their potential
This guest op-ed article explores how Youth Councils in Brazil are consolidating themselves as powerful tools for shared governance, co-creation, and accountability in the face of the climate crisis. How can cities unlock their potential to deliver true intergenerational climate justice?
What NDCs 3.0 are (and aren’t) saying about multilevel, inclusive climate action
With only 27 new NDCs submitted by June 2025, covering just 21% of global emissions, are governments actually delivering on that promise?
Can local climate dialogues really shape national climate action? The Town Hall COP Initiative is trying to prove they can
ICLEI’s Town Hall COP Initiative is emerging as a powerful model to make climate action truly locally led, transformation-oriented, and, most importantly, nationally relevant.
Chengdu hosts regional UrbanShift Academy to help cities shape climate goals
As national governments are preparing their next round of Nationally Determined Contributions, their success depends heavily on actions taken at the local level.
Advocacy & diplomacy COP30 Daring Cities 2025 Global Advocacy Multilevel governance Zero emission Development
From Bonn to Belém: How national commitments and cities together can deliver a climate-ready future
Under the umbrella of Daring Cities 2025 Bonn Dialogues, this event highlighted the importance of partnerships to deliver not just ambitious plans, but real climate action for a thriving future.
Advocacy & diplomacy Climate mitigation Daring Cities 2025 Global Advocacy Multilevel governance Zero emission Development
From fragmentation to structure: CHAMP helps scaling climate action across all levels
The 2nd CHAMP UNFCCC Focal Point Dialogue provided a platform for national government endorsers and their strategic partners to assess progress and guide CHAMP’s implementation toward COP30.
Advocacy & diplomacy Climate mitigation COP30 Global Advocacy Multilevel governance Zero emission Development
An urban COP30 may be coming. Are national plans ready for it?
Mostly not. And that’s an issue, since one of the drivers of success for COP30 could be how well the NDCs 3.0 reflect and enable climate action in cities.