Our Activities
Cities are complex systems. The components of urban systems, from food distribution networks and energy grids to transport and greenways, are interconnected and dynamic. Intervening to create change in any one of these components may impact others, creating systemic change. Designing solutions that take these interconnections into account is critical to sustainable development.
The five ICLEI pathways towards low emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development are designed to create systemic change. When these pathways guide local and regional development, urban systems becomes more sustainable. The pathways provide provide a framework for designing integrated solutions that balance the patterns of human life and the built and natural environments. They encourage holistic thinking. For instance, working together, the local and regional governments and global experts of ICLEI consider how nature-based development contributes to resilience, or how to bring equity into low emission development.
We design our work to integrate as many pathways as possible. Each individual pathway is multidimensional, incorporating numerous strategies for sustainable development. When more pathways are integrated into any given activity, such as a project, partnership or initiative, a greater degree of change can occur. Often, our activities are guided by a predominant pathway or set of pathways. In any given city or region, multiple activities may be implemented along each pathway.
This searchable digital collection of our activities worldwide includes technical resources, including digital platforms, methodologies and tools, as well as networks, projects, programs, partnerships, events and initiatives that guide action along the pathways, spark new partnerships and create city-to-city and city-to-region connections.
Each entry in this digital collection is marked with predominant pathways, keywords and related Sustainable Development Goals.
ICLEI annually provided the following services: Support local sustainability efforts in 10 cities and towns in Rhineland-Palatinate; Organize 3 training workshops with varying topics for municipal staff and local civil society groups; Share relevant knowledge and best practice through a newsletter and website; Advise the Ministry of Economics on strategic matters of local sustainability transition
Nachhaltigkeit Kommunal (Local Sustainabilty)
Establishing transdisciplinary foundations – Facilitate, organize and conduct Urban-Regional Innovation Partnerships (URIPs) dialogues Developing a novel nature based solutions assessment framework – Engage stakeholders in Utrecht and Malmö in a multi-criteria method to determine stakeholder values. – Extend the learning process to the other URIPs in a two-day workshop. – Identify how current insights and […]
NATURVATION (Nature Based Urban Innovation)
Building upon ICLEI´s commitment to engage in the NDC Partnership and as the first associate member, ICLEI created a modular approach to addresses the vertical integration of NDC implementation and investment plans, outlining the contribution of local and regional governments in the NDCs. ICLEI’s participation is structured in four parts: coordinating a multilevel action working […]
ICLEI East Asia supported the Seoul Metropolitan Government in organizing the 9th Northeast Asia Forum on Air Quality Improvement as a co-organizer. The Forum was attended by officials of 35 local governments, including all EACAC cities except for Guiyang. On this occasion, Tokyo, Beijing, and Shenzhen introduced their policies on vehicle emissions reduction; Sichuan presented […]
When New York City announced intentions to divest city pension funds from fossil fuel reserve owners by 2022, the move positioned NYC at the center of the global divestment movement. Providing the first in-depth look at the steps NYC took to reach a divestment commitment, ICLEI’ s case study shows how the the largest municipal […]
Through collaboration on the OPCC, which is led by WWF, ICLEI aims to encourage the reporting of climate related data from local governments around the globe, and to improve the quality of the reported data. In partnership with CDP, ICLEI provides CDP and ICLEI’s unified reporting system for the report of the data of OPCC […]
One Planet City Challenge
To achieve the goals of the OPN on SPP the following activities are carried out: Support SPP implementation by assisting procuring entities and procurement practitioners at local, regional, and national levels; Initiate enabling conditions for stimulating change in international sectoral markets through procurement; Advocate and mobilise political leadership and support for sustainable procurement; Support countries […]
One Planet Network Programme on Sustainable Public Procurement
ICLEI leads the general dissemination effort of OpenHeritage, with a particular focus on reaching out to local authorities all over Europe, leveraging its vast municipality network with the policy and academia connections of the consortium as a whole. ICLEI also contributes to the Observatory Cases, and to the Cooperative Heritage Labs, collecting and synthesizing information.
In order to improve visibility and enhance recognition of, and mobilize support for its action and network, ICLEI enhances dialogue, collaboration and engagement in the UN system, with a specific focus on those related to its fields of its expertise such as the secretariat of the other multilateral environmental agreements, the UN Environment Management Group, […]
ICLEI supports Fiji cities by providing streamlined processes for assessing their risks and challenges and developing achievable action plans. It works side-by-side with the cities and assists them to find partners for action. ICLEI has recently assisted 7 city and town councils to undertake disaster risk self assessment and action planning, using the Sendai Framework […]
ICLEI supports the island cities by providing streamlined processes for assessing their risks and challenges and developing achievable action plans. It works side-by-side with the cities and assists them to find partners for action. ICLEI has been working with Honiara since 2016 to assist the City to undertake a disaster risk self assessment and action, […]
Pacific Resilience Honiara
Over 300 Canadian municipalities are making a public commitment to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and to act on climate change. Through the development and application of accounting and planning tools, knowledge development resources, training workshops and peer-networks, ICLEI builds the capacity of local governments across Canada to mitigation climate change.
Partners for Climate Protection program
ICLEI is the Technical Support Group enlisted to assist 21 local Biodiversity Management Committees to produce their People’s Biodiversity Register, a repository of local knowledge on Biodiversity. Through a set of 31 pre-formulated formats, information is collected on various aspects of biodiversity relevant in the local context. This is supplemented through photo documentation and in […]
ICLEI developed a detailed and agile dissemination, communication and awareness plan at the beginning of the project, being periodically updated and deployed along the project life cycle (e.g. Updates of social media, website, newsletter, and other promotional opportunities, Creation of dissemination materials like leaflets, posters, templates, business cards etc.. The aim of this activity was […]
PlastiCircle and CIRC-PACK
ICLEI supports the Assam State Government to prepare a nomination dossier which highlights Majuli Island’s Unique Natural and Cultural heritage which will enable it to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Preparation of the UNESCO World Heritage – Dossier for Majuli Island