Five events to attend this Urban October

Urban October is a UN-organized, jam-packed calendar of opportunities for everyone wanting to be a part of the conversation on city issues and urban sustainability. Cities are responsible for 70 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions – which is why Urban October 2021 will focus on the climate emergency. Urban October provides a universal space 

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Daring Cities 2020: Top 5 most popular thematic sessions

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 

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Urban freight and supply chain connectivity in a changing global economy

By Tsu-Jui Cheng, Sustainable Mobility Program Manager, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability and Sunandan Tiwari , Director of Global Implementation, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability Increasing globalization and consumerism have changed the way goods are transported and cities are at the frontlines of managing the logistics of freight. At the International Transport Forum 

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Water and Sanitation for Cities in the spotlight at LOCS4Africa

In partnership with hosts the City of Ekurhuleni, ICLEI Africa convened the Local Climate Solutions for Africa (LoCS4Africa) congress from 22 to 24 March 2017. LoCS4Africa 2017 saw over 400 delegates, representing 53 cities from 40 countries gather to discuss the challenge of water for cities against the backdrop of uncertain climate and water futures. 

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Letter from Gino Van Begin – January

Dear ICLEI friends and colleagues, Local and subnational governments have proven to be a reliable force for positive global change. Now, in 2017, it is vital that we push to make the trend towards sustainable development irreversible. We aim to do so through our actions on the ground, efforts to shape global policy and events 

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Building the architecture for inclusive and ambitious climate action

A focus on action at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP22, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Marrakech, Morocco, was the first Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change following the adoption and swift ratification of the Paris Agreement. It was a COP of action and 

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Shifting towards resilient urban development

The Paris Agreement establishes a clear goal: to keep the global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius, with the intent to pursue a 1.5-degree target. However, the national climate commitments submitted under the Paris Agreement do not yet put us on track to achieve this goal. In fact, with current national commitments, the world 

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100 percent renewable energy is an imperative

Berlin, Germany voted to divest its €750 million public pension from oil, coal and gas companies, while Stockholm, Sweden, Sydney, Australia and San Francisco, California have joined a growing number of cities making similar commitments. Meanwhile, cities are also exploring ways to meet their energy needs entirely with renewable sources. Vancouver, Canada aims to hit 

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Inequality in cities: an issue at the heart of our New Urban Agenda

Cities have the responsibility to manage many aspects of urban life, from the provision of basic services and job creation to safety and security. They must also plan in a way that acknowledges and addresses inequality as a very real and growing urban issue. Addressing inequality is a critical part of successfully implementing the New 

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Local governments: a united global force for climate action

Local governments show consistently strong leadership in mitigating and coping with the effects of climate change. They are taking action to improve their cities and towns, while rallying for greater climate ambition around the world. The voice of local governments is growing stronger and clearer as they become an increasingly unified force, backed by concrete 

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