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, Local2030 and UN SDG Knowledge Development Center, as well as regional and global processes outside the UN such as G7/G20, OBOR, BRICS or other regional initiatives.

In order to ensure that the work of the UN fits the mission of the new sustainable development agenda and align with the spirit of enhanced collaboration with all levels of governments, ICLEI provides active contributions to the work of the UN Secretary General in the UN development system reform and 2019 UN Climate Summit, including development of customized strategies at the national level.

The City Climate Planner program ensures urban professionals are equipped to support local climate action planning, including developing greenhouse gas (GHG) emission inventories; climate action planning (low emission development planning); and climate adaptation planning. These efforts are essential building blocks of local planning and policy development efforts of local governments in addressing climate change.

The Urban Greenhouse Gas Inventory Specialist credential is City Climate Planner program’s first professional certification. It focuses on GHG emission inventories, recognized as a key building block in developing quality climate action plans. Over 20 professionals at ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability are accredited to provide the training.

ICLEI enables cities to advance on the Kaohsiung Strategies for the Future of Urban Mobility, an implementation framework for the Shared Mobility Principles, a cooperation platform aiming to advance a new urban mobility paradigm, advising and motivating our Members along these strategies, and have endorsed the Shared Mobility Principles

Recognizing that cities play an important role in leading the way to achieve carbon neutrality in the second half of this century, namely the goals of the Paris Agreement, ICLEI supports cities and regions laying out their vision on a sustainable society in 2050. The declaration lays out a vision for cities leading up to 2050 and encourages cities around the world to join Kyoto in cultivating a culture of sustainable cities that is in balance with the local and global environment.

The Global Climate City Challenge is part of a new partnership under the umbrella of Global Urbis, an ambitious global initiative announced during the One Planet Summit in Paris in December 2017, that provides cities and local governments around the world with technical assistance and financing for climate action. The Challenge is a collaboration between the Global Covenant of Mayors and the European Investment Bank with city networks including ICLEI and C40, as well as the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). ICLEI screened project applications and proposed an initial short list of 20 projects to be considered for the final list of 6 to access technical assistance. The frontrunners were announced at the COP25, out of which 2 ICLEI Transformative Actions Program projects were selected in Recife, Brazil and in Jambi City, Indonesia.

ICLEI provides detailed guidance and practice-oriented resources to technical staff through an open access, online, low emission development platform. The Solutions Gateway is an online resource platform for local and regional governments where they will be able to find relevant Low Emissions Development (LED) Solutions for their cities. The platform contains sectoral and cross-sectoral packages of activities, structured along local government responsibilities and spheres of influence, to support cities in the development of low-emission strategies, plans, and projects. The Solutions Gateway contents are based on proven technologies and practices, distilled into Solutions and Solution Packages which are drafted and peer-reviewed by experts of the respective field.

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 in demonstrating the public value (economic, environmental, social) of sustainable procurement implementation.

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 participating cities.

ICLEI supports cities by checking their submitted data and by providing guidance. The OPCC acts as vehicle to raise ambition towards climate action globally, as well as to showcase the commitment from local and regional governments.

Starting in 2019, local and regional governments are – for the first time – reporting climate action data through one unified reporting system. They give their permission to both CDP and ICLEI to use their publicly reported data and receive in return the support of both organizations. ICLEI uses this data to inform research and analysis activities focusing on diverse sectors from transport to waste, energy and air quality, and to represent local and regional governments on the global stage through our advocacy work. ICLEI supports local and regional governments to improve the quality of their reporting and provides performance reports to selected cities.