ICLEI

The initiative brings ten young people into ICLEI South America’s newest governance body—two of whom will hold special status as councilors—and solidifies efforts to place youth at the heart of the climate agenda at the local level. On this International Youth Day, celebrated on 12 August, ICLEI South America announces the official creation of its Youth Committee.

ICLEI Colombia will provide technical and administrative support to Bogotá, Cali La Estrella and Medellín, as part of the global expansion of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Fund to 300 new cities worldwide. ICLEI Colombia was designated as the organization responsible for providing technical and administrative support for the implementation of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund in four selected cities in the country: Bogotá, Cali, La Estrella and Medellín.

This blog was written by Rebecca Wessinghage and edited by Matteo Bizzotto, ICLEI World Secretariat. Where people live often determines the opportunities and risks they face. Whether in coastal communities threatened by surging storms, or urban neighborhoods impacted by decades of unequal investment, geography plays a powerful role in shaping everyday life. Yet these patterns are rarely random.

The publication of a major scientific report is often treated as the beginning of the journey from evidence to action. For the forthcoming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Climate Change and Cities (SR-Cities), that would be too late.

With less than five years remaining to deliver the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, this year’s United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, marked a pivotal moment for assessing progress and defining what comes next.

The UNCCD COP17 Mayors' Forum, held from 20 to 22 August 2026 in the Blue Zone of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, brings city leaders into the heart of the global response to land degradation, desertification, drought and water scarcity.

Packaging, artificial turf, wet wipes, straws: Plastic is everywhere in daily life, prized for being cheap, lightweight, durable, and convenient. Yet these benefits come at significant environmental, economic, and social costs, beginning with the extraction of fossil fuels used to produce plastic to the spread of microplastics that contaminate soil, water, and eventually the food chain.

New global position commits the ICLEI network to supporting a rapid, just, and globally coordinated transition away from fossil fuels at the subnational level, guided by five principles for a fossil fuel-free future: fair, fortified, fast, flourishing, and flexible.

As cities work to ensure that public investment reflects community priorities, the Municipality of Zapopan, Mexico, an ICLEI Member since 2023, is placing residents at the center of local decision-making. Through its 2026 Participatory Budget Program, more than 183,000 residents helped determine which public works and community projects will receive municipal investment in the coming years.

EN Video The CDP-ICLEI Track 2026 reporting cycle is now open! If you are new to reporting or looking to strengthen your reporting efforts, we invite you to join us for this introductory webinar on 14 July at 14:00 CEST, covering: Reporting benefits for cities, states and regions Overview of the 2026 questionnaire Tips for first-time reporters Key changes for the 2026 reporting cycle Essential resources Questions & Answers Hear from experts from CDP and ICLEI – Local Governments for...