CityTalk is Your Source for Urban Sustainability Stories
Local actions driving global change
WHAT’S TRENDING
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Building livable cities starts with water resilience
Water is a “blue thread” connecting human rights, the SDGs, and the three Rio Conventions on climate, biodiversity, and land. Embedding water resilience into urban planning is not optional; it is essential for climate-smart, inclusive, and livable cities, and local and regional governments are already delivering. Explore how we are supporting them to step up to the challenge and scale their impact.
Engaging youth voices for climate action
ICLEI is committed to making youth meaningful partners in sustainable urban development. From local projects to global climate talks, we ensure young people are not just heard, but empowered to shape decisions.
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Youth are taking climate stock. Here are ten ways cities can act with them.
To truly harness youth leadership, local and regional governments must go beyond consultation, co-creating processes where young people set agendas,…
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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,…
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Mind the gap: How youth fall between presence and power in urban governance
This guest op-ed article argues that youth participation in urban governance must move beyond symbolism to real power, especially in…
Following the global plastics treaty negotiations
As the world nears the possible conclusion of the global plastics treaty at INC-5, ICLEI continues to champion the essential role of local and subnational governments in ending plastic pollution.
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Toward a world free of plastic pollution?
As countries race to finalize a global plastics treaty by the end of 2025, a critical round of negotiations is…
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The beginning of the end of plastics pollution, what does this mean for the Republic of Korea Cities?
The Republic of Korea hosted INC-5, bringing national governments together to forge a global treaty to end plastic pollution. This…
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Two years, no agreement on plastics: Where to from here? The Local and Subnational Government Coalition asks after INC-5
The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-5) to develop a Global Plastic Treaty concluded without…
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Local & Subnational governments’ voice in international negotiations to end plastic pollution
The local and subnational governments coalition to end plastic pollution was officially launched on 22 April 2024, and spent INC4…
The road to COP30
On the road to Belém, local and regional governments have a unique opportunity to engage with their national governments, shift the trajectory of the climate emergency, and push for inclusive, multilevel climate action.
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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…
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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…
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All levels, one goal: Scaling ambition ahead of COP30
Every year, the Bonn Climate Talks – formally the sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SBs) – serve as the…
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Brazil’s LGMA Coordination Group advances multilevel agenda for COP30
On 19 May 2025, ICLEI South America virtually promoted the second Meeting of the National Coordination Group of the Local…
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LGMA launches National Coordination group in Brazil to elevate subnational voices at COP30
The launch of the LGMA National Coordination Group in Brasília marks a major milestone for climate federalism and multilevel governance…
Town Hall COPs
Connecting climate action at all levels from the ground up.
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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,…
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Town Hall COPs gain traction with global reach and national endorsement
Since launching in early 2025, the Town Hall COP Initiative has gained momentum, with 70+ local governments and civil society…
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Cities, climate, and convergence: What the first Annual Review on the Rio Conventions tells us
Born from the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, these three multilateral environmental agreements have shaped how the international…
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How youth are shaping local to global climate action through Town Hall COPs
Town Hall COPs are redefining what inclusive, multilevel climate governance looks like on the road to COP30.