As the world’s attention turned to COP29, leaders from the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Constituency, gathered on 13 November at a special session to respond to COP29 and the World Leaders Climate Action Summit (WCAS).
At COP29, California and Japan’s local leaders emphasize that cities must lead the charge on climate action, showing that bold, independent initiatives can drive sustainable futures beyond national policies.
In recent years, more and more local and regional government leaders are traveling to international environmental conferences, like the annual Climate COPs or the ICLEI World Congress. These meetings provide the opportunity to discuss solutions to global and local challenges. But at the same time, the concrete value of elected leaders’ engagement can at times be difficult to grasp. What is the value for such in-person meetings? How does the community back home benefit?
Cities like Baltimore, Boulder, Cleveland, and Coral Springs are collaborating through ICLEI to implement innovative climate actions, from community-driven plans to equitable resilience strategies.
During the ICLEI World Congress 2024 closing plenary on 21 June, Katja Dörner, Mayor of Bonn, Germany, and chair of the Climate Action Governance Portfolio for the ICLEI Global Executive Committee, called on urban leaders to proactively engage with their national governments and local government associations to enhance NDCs by 2025 and support CHAMP. National associations of local governments – under the leadership of ICLEI governance Members – in Germany, Brazil, and the U.S. have pledged to CHAMP, pioneering a global movement to push for stronger local involvement in national climate plans.
The City of Fremont, California, is on a remarkable journey of sustainability and community resilience, particularly in its pursuit of…
Fort Collins, Colorado, stands as a beacon of exemplary sustainability efforts, particularly evident in its commitment to Sustainable Development Goal…
Cities bring together all types of people into confined urban spaces, and they also reveal stark social inequalities. In dense…
The way Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie sees it, cities and towns should “always have a seat at the table”…
It is time to turn this opportunity into a new normal in every country towards COP26. ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability…