ICLEI

“If it’s not affordable, it’s not sustainable,” says ICLEI President Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, Mayor of Malmö, Sweden, featured by Eurocities. We are proud to see Mayor Jammeh shortlisted for the #EurocitiesAwards2026 City Heroes Award. Under her leadership, Malmö has become a climate-smart, innovation-driven city, pioneering renewable energy, inclusive development, and climate-resilient urban planning. Mayor Jammeh also champions this bold, equity-centered vision globally through the #MalmöCommitment, an initiative that places social equity at the heart of local sustainable development. Read her full story ⬇️

What happens when cities put equity at the center of climate action? Over the past three years, the INCLU:DE project explored how local governments can design climate initiatives that are not only effective, but also socially just and inclusive. Led by ICLEI and supported by Stiftung Mercator, the project brought together five German cities, Bonn, Essen, Dortmund, Heidelberg, and Ludwigsburg, to test practical approaches to make climate action more inclusive, practical, and fair. Their experiences show that when barriers are removed and climate programs are made more accessible, everyone gains: From stronger uptake of climate-friendly solutions to more resilient and trusted local governance. Through balcony solar subsidy programs and accessible mobility initiatives, INCLU:DE demonstrated that co-benefits of climate-friendly solutions and technologies have the potential to alleviate burdens on lower-income or disadvantaged communities, such as reducing electricity costs and improving public health. This work would not have been possible without the dedication of our #ICLEI colleagues, the commitment of the INCLU:DE cities, the support of Stiftung Mercator GmbH, and the strong partnerships we built throughout these years. As the project concludes, its lessons will continue helping cities place equity at the center of climate action. Swipe for the project highlights and learn more here: 🖇️ https://lnkd.in/ec4uAGsB ✨ ICLEI Europe, Rebecca Wessinghage, Daniel Botha, Jannis Niethammer, Dr Magash Naidoo, Olga Horn, Annika Dörrhöfer, Tim Marxen, Lena Völlinger, Raphael Karutz, Felicitas Müller, Björn Ahaus, Christopher Sadlowski 🌆 Stadt Essen, Stadt Heidelberg, Bundesstadt Bonn, Stadt Dortmund, Stadt Ludwigsburg

Did you know? 2 June marks Heat Action Day, and we are calling on local and regional governments worldwide to inspire simple actions that help prevent extreme heat risks and protect communities. Join the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - IFRC global campaign to #BeatTheHeat. This year’s theme: "Indoor heat: Recognizing and taking action against the health risks we face indoors." Get involved, share your plans, and help keep your community safe: https://lnkd.in/e9nTJswD #HeatActionDay

The May Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Constituency bulletin is out! Read 📬 https://lnkd.in/e4-KjDcK With the mid-year climate talks in Bonn (SB64) less than three weeks away, the 2026 climate agenda is accelerating. COP31 President Designate Murat Kurum has published his first official letter, outlining priorities for Türkiye.  On 28 May, the LGMA's second all-Constituency briefing will help members understand what to expect at SB64 and identify concrete entry points in the negotiations. 👉 Swipe for the updates and sign up for our monthly bulletin, which delivers all the news of the LGMA Constituency. ✉️ https://lnkd.in/dJsW39zK

"We are now halfway through in the KMGBF implementation race. It is abundantly clear that we must do more and that we must act faster. Slow, incremental change is no longer a choice," writes Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the UN Biodiversity Secretariat in an open letter to mayors and governors. Read the full message via CitiesWithNature & RegionsWithNature ⬇️

🌿 This Biodiversity Day, let's spark nature-positive cities. Our latest issue of iNews, ICLEI's global newsletter, is now out. 📨 Read: https://lnkd.in/eTRp8C-U Under this year's theme, "Acting locally for global impact," we are reminded that the front lines of biodiversity protection are not only in remote rainforests or distant oceans. They are also in our backyards, city parks, and urban waterways. In this issue, we explore how nature-first cities are shaping a more biodiverse future worldwide, and we are proud to feature an open letter to mayors and governors from Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the UN Biodiversity Secretariat. We also invite you to save the date for the 9th Summit for Subnational Governments and Cities, an official parallel event to Biodiversity COP17, and to discover the newly revamped ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center website, showcasing our collective commitment to a nature-first, resilient urban future. Swipe through the highlights and subscribe to stay in the loop for tailored content from cities and regions driving sustainability forward! 📥 https://lnkd.in/deipWxPX CitiesWithNature & RegionsWithNature #BiodiversityDay #ActingLocally #NaturePositive #UrbanBiodiversity #ICLEI

Housing is more than shelter. It is the foundation of equitable, resilient, and thriving communities. “Housing must therefore be recognized as a strategic pillar of the European urban agenda, and cities must be empowered as key actors within stronger multilevel governance,” calls Luísa Maria Neves Salgueiro, Mayor of Matosinhos, Portugal. In her editorial for ICLEI’s Equitable Development newsletter, Mayor Neves Salgueiro reflects on the urgent need to place housing at the center of urban policy, strengthen cooperation across levels of government, and ensure cities have the tools and resources to respond to growing social and territorial challenges. Read the full editorial: https://lnkd.in/dqbCktj3 Subscribe to the our Equitable Development newsletter to discover how cities and regions around the world are building fairer and more inclusive communities 👉 https://lnkd.in/dDudVVCU ICLEI Europe, Câmara Municipal de Matosinhos #HousingForAll #EquitableDevelopment #ICLEI

📣 Experts and practitioners invited to review latest draft of IPCC’s Special Report on Climate Change and Cities The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - IPCC is inviting experts worldwide to serve as Expert Reviewers of the Second-Order Draft of the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities. Registration is open until 26 June 2026. Read more 🖇️ https://lnkd.in/eh8jUX4R This is a key opportunity for experts to engage directly with the report and contribute insights ahead of its release in March 2027. This review process plays a critical role in ensuring scientific rigor, diverse perspectives, and real-world relevance to the urgent challenges urban areas and communities face in a rapidly changing climate. ICLEI encourages urban experts, practitioners, and policymakers to take part voluntarily in this review process and help identify critical gaps, ensuring that the report reflects the realities, challenges, and solutions emerging from cities worldwide. Pourya Salehi, Maryke van Staden, Diana Urge-Vorsatz

What does the road to COP31 look like for cities and regions? We kicked off the year by exploring this question at the first all-Constituency briefing of the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA), where we heard from COP31 negotiators, climate champions, the IPCC Special Report on Cities team, and senior government representatives. As we enter a busy second half of the year, join the LGMA second all-Constituency briefing of 2026: "Navigating a Shifting Climate Landscape: The LGMA Constituency at the Bonn Climate Talks." With SB64 approaching and the joint COP31 leadership of Türkiye and Australia taking shape, this is the moment to understand where the 2026 climate agenda is heading and where local and regional governments fit in. Constituency members leading LGMA's work on climate finance, just transition and multilevel governance will walk through what's at stake in Bonn, what lessons carry over from Santa Marta, and how to engage. 📅 Thursday 28 May 🕙 10:00 and 16:00 CEST 🔗 Register: https://lnkd.in/dem5n6BX Can't join live? Register anyway; slides and the full recording will be shared afterward. 👇 Watch the clip below for a taste of the conversation - With Aaron Kirby I Neil Khor I Debra Roberts I Jaeckel Ulf I Antonio Da Costa e Silva See you on 28 May. #LocalClimateAction #LGMA #SB64 #COP31 #MultilevelGovernance

Are you heading to Rome Nutrition Week 2026?  Join ICLEI CityFood on 27 May! Together with Brazil’s Ministry of Social Development, Assistance, Family and the Fight Against Hunger, we’re hosting a timely and solution-oriented discussion, exploring how national ambition connects with practical change in cities. 🗓️ 27 May | 12:45–13:30 CEST | Sheikh Zayed Center, FAO Headquarters 🖇️ https://lnkd.in/eYyanFHe From local markets to national policies discover how cities are making healthy, sustainable diets a reality. 🎤 Learn directly from experts driving change: 🔸 Gisele Ane Bortolini, Ministério do Desenvolvimento e Assistência Social, Família e Combate à Fome, Brazil 🔸 Sonia Sassi, Institut National de Nutrition et de Technologie Alimentaire, Tunisia 🔸 Jiwon Lee, ICLEI Global CityFood Program 🔸 Sandrine Bertin, Cork City Council - Comhairle Cathrach Chorcaí, Ireland 🔸 Grace Githiri, UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) 🔸 Natalia Outtes Alves Quirino, City of Recife, Brazil 🔸 Peter Defranceschi, ICLEI Global CityFood Program Join us in-person or online at #RNW26. 🎁 A special gift awaits in-person attendees. See you in Rome! #RomeNutritionWeek #RomeNutritionWeek2026 #FutureNutrition #CityFood #ICLEI