Every year, ICLEI works with local and regional governments, partners, leaders and other experts to develop and publish state-of-the-art, context-specific resources informed by our work around the world, featuring exemplary real-world city practices and guidance for sustainable cities and regions. 

All resources are freely accessible in the ICLEI e-Library, one central place to explore our knowledge products. From this all-time collection, the resources below were the most read in 2025. Browse, download, and get inspired to advance sustainable urban development forward.

1. The Power of Our Network in a Changing World

ICLEI’s São Paulo Strategic Vision 2024–2030 sets out how local and regional governments can lead the transformation to sustainable development, through collective leadership, shared knowledge and a united global voice.

2. Factsheet series: Waste to energy

A clear, practical overview of waste-to-energy technologies, explaining how non-recyclable waste can be converted into heat and electricity, while reducing waste volumes and supporting renewable energy transitions..

3. The CityFood Market Handbook for Healthy and Resilient Cities

This handbook equips local governments with a practical, case-based guide to transforming food markets to enhance urban food security, nutrition, and resilient livelihoods. Second edition available here.

4. Resilient cities, thriving cities: The evolution of urban resilience

Drawing on a decade of the Resilient Cities Congress, this report traces how urban resilience thinking has evolved, from finance and governance to nature-based solutions and social cohesion.

5. Climate Finance Decision Making Tree and Guidance

This tool guides local and regional governments through a series of questions that help them consider and find the most suitable financing tools.

6. Unlocking the power of youth

A practical checklist for engaging young people in climate action, designed to help cities move from intention to meaningful participation, starting now.

7. Youth Inclusion Toolkit for Local Authorities

Twelve tested tools, from hackathons to citizen science, that help local governments co-design nature-based solutions with young people, backed by case studies from cities across Europe.

8. ICLEI in the urban era

A forward-looking document outlining how the ICLEI network will advance sustainable urban development, responding to climate, nature, health and social challenges in a post-pandemic world.

9. Circular Turku: A blueprint for local governments to kick start the circular economy transition

A concrete roadmap from Turku, Finland, showing how regional collaboration can kick-start the circular economy, with transferable lessons for cities everywhere.

10. Advancing a Just Urban Transition

This EU policy paper makes the case for people-centered climate action, highlighting how local governments can, and must, be empowered to deliver a socially just energy transition.