Malmö’s blueprint for green finance and what other cities can learn
Malmö competes for capital alongside covered bond issuers, national governments, and corporate. How can a city be so successful?
The just transition is starting locally: Turning fossil fuel phase-out into fair local change
Ahead of the First Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels (24–29 April) in Santa Marta, Colombia, local and regional governments are turning this shift into fair, workable change, from energy planning to renewables and workforce reskilling.
How protecting migratory species built bridges between governments during COP15 in Brazil
The discussions showed how financing, peer learning, and cooperation across regions can help protect migratory species in the habitats and corridors they depend on.
Zero food waste: Here’s how four cities are getting there
This year’s Zero Waste Day, our focus is on food – an area where the potential for impact is both urgent and transformative. Across four cities, innovative approaches are showing how the loop between farm and fork can be closed through actionable policies and community engagement.
Making your city investable: A practical guide to green finance
Many local governments still struggle to access affordable, long-term capital at scale. Green finance can help – when it is embedded in systems and treated as an institutional responsibility.
What the Nordic model can teach cities about accessing affordable climate finance
Municipalities pool their borrowing needs, present a combined credit profile to capital markets, issue bonds collectively, and lend the proceeds to member municipalities at lower cost.
Before the next crisis hits: Why women’s leadership matters in climate risk management
The impacts of climate hazards are not gender-neutral; women are often among those most affected. As cities make critical decisions on climate policy and resilience investments, Recife, Brazil, is showing how empowering women leaders in vulnerable communities can strengthen climate resilience for all.
Developing equity indicators: Five considerations to address local inequities
Identifying equity challenges creates better opportunities to build communities where benefits and burdens are fairly shared. Indicators that reflect geographic, social, and economic realities highlight where injustices exist so local governments can focus their efforts effectively.
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.
Building capacity to embed gender equality and social inclusion in climate action
Through several projects, ICLEI supports cities in applying the Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) approach to climate action by providing capacity-building, technical guidance, and multi-stakeholder engagement to help address inequalities and ensure climate planning and policies are inclusive by design.
From mobility to belonging: How cities embed migration into governance
As more people settle in urban areas, mobility and urban governance become increasingly interconnected. Cities in the Malmö Commitment are integrating mobility into long-term planning for social inclusion, economic vitality and demographic sustainability.
How community partnerships in Kaohsiung and Bonn support a just transition
From rural mobility services to neighborhood climate hubs, these cities — on the island of Taiwan and in Germany — show how climate action designed with local organizations can improve daily life, deliver social benefits, and advance climate goals.