OUR IMPACT
How ICLEI is working across the globe
Every year, ICLEI’s works on hundreds of activities with thousands of cities, towns and regions around the globe
Search our activitiesOur activities and action plan
Every three years, ICLEI commits to a Strategic Vision. Our action plan of hundreds of activities around the world gives a roadmap for how we will fulfill this vision.
Learn more
WHAT WE DO
ICLEI's network of impact
ICLEI is engaged in hundreds of activities in more than 2,500 cities, towns and regions worldwide. Our activities, guided by five interconnected pathways, are designed to facilitate integrated sustainable urban development.
Learn more
ICLEI in numbers
Our Impact
465+
global activities
2500+
local & regional governments involved
1200+
local & regional governments reporting climate actions
560+
jurisdictions committed to climate action by 2030
Resilience in cities
2025 has begun with devastating fires in California and other extreme events around the world, which are stark reminders of the urgent need for resilience in cities. Resilient cities are not only prepared to withstand these challenges but also thrive in the face of adversity, ensuring the safety, wellbeing, and sustainability of their communities.
ICLEI is at the forefront of building urban resilience, working closely with cities worldwide to develop strategies that integrate climate adaptation, risk reduction, and sustainability. Through tailored support, global advocacy, and state-of-the-art tools, we help cities design systems that are adaptive, inclusive, and future-ready.
Active
Urban Infrastructure Insurance Facility
The Project concerns insurance protection against natural hazards for cities in Latin America. The o...
Learn more
Active
Climate Resilience for Communities Project
Dual challenges of flooding and heatwave events present significant threats to community well-being ...
Learn more
Active
CDKN Accelerating Inclusive Action
Locally led adaptation is essential to respond effectively to climate change. While there is a lot o...
Learn more
Active
Cities Forward
The Cities Forward program, a collaborative partnership of the U.S. Department of State, ICLEI-Local...
Learn more
Active
European Urban Resilience Forum
EURESFO has served as a pivotal European initiative since 2013. Organised by ICLEI Local Governments...
Learn more
Active
Pacific Resilience Fiji
The Pacific islands are very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters. Whil...
Learn more
Active
Pacific Resilience Honiara
The Pacific islands are very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters. Whil...
Learn more
Active
INTERACT BIO – Integrated Action on Biodiversity
Nature provides wide ranging benefits and essential services. Unfortunately, current development pat...
Learn more
Active
RURITAGE – Rural regeneration through systemic heritage-led strategies
RURITAGE establishes a new heritage-led rural regeneration paradigm able to transform rural areas in...
Learn more
Circular economy
The recent setback in global plastic treaty negotiations highlights the urgent need for cities to lead the way in adopting circular economy practices. As linear production and waste systems continue to strain natural resources and pollute the environment, cities can champion a transformative approach that reduces waste, extends the life of materials, and fosters sustainable consumption patterns. From promoting zero-waste strategies to encouraging innovative reuse and recycling initiatives, ICLEI supports local and regional governments in creating sustainable loops that benefit communities and ecosystems alike.
Active
ICLEI Circulars
Local governments are at the frontline of the pressing waste and resource challenges triggered by th...
Learn more
Active
Circular Food System
By estimation, in 2050 cities will consume 80% of the food. On the other hand, Asia is responsible f...
Learn more
Active
Circular Public Procurement (PP)
Throughout its evolution, the industrial economy has never moved beyond a linear model of resource c...
Learn more
Active
Circle Lab for Cities Program
For cities, a circular economy offers great benefits, ranging from reduced greenhouse gas emissions,...
Learn more
Active
EU SWITCH-Asia-Transitions to CIRCULAR economy practices in TEXTILE and apparel MSMEs along the lifecycle in Huzhou and Shaoxing
The textile and apparel industry now face various challenges in achieving a complete transformation ...
Learn more
Active
Green Circular Cities Coalition
The Green Circular Cities Coalition responds to the urgent need for the circular society in cities i...
Learn more
Active
Towards circular economy in the plastic packaging value chain
Plastics production has surged over the past 50 years, from 15 million tonnes in 1964 to 311 million...
Learn more
Featured city
Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei
Situated in the island of Taiwan, Kaohsiung City has been an ICLEI Member since 2006 and is home to the ICLEI Kaohsiung Capacity Center. Industrial hub home to 2.77 million residents, the city has faced significant challenges due to high industrial greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 82% of its emissions. In response, Kaohsiung has adopted a comprehensive climate strategy, including short-term and long-term mitigation goals to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% by 2020 and 80% by 2050, based on its 2005 GHG baseline. These efforts are supported by adaptation mapping and assessments to address vulnerabilities related to ecological, cultural, and resource challenges.
Through initiatives such as the EcoMobility World Festival, Kaohsiung and ICLEI have worked collaboratively to promote sustainable urban mobility and resilience as part of their commitment to a sustainable urban future.
Learn more
Completed
2023 Kaohsiung Smart City Expo: Sustainable City Summit and ICLEI Member Assembly
Industrial cities have made significant contributions to the economies of many countries, but the lo...
Learn more
Active
EcoMobility Alliance
Our cities are experiencing unprecedented changes in transportation that are driven by social, econo...
Learn more
Completed
Workshops Towards a Sustainable and Resilient Kaohsiung
Since municipal governance in Chinese Taipei requires the harmonious collaboration and consensus bet...
Learn more
Active
Global Protocol for Community Scale GHG Emissions inventories
The further enhancement and development of the GPC responds to the needs of local governments in str...
Learn more
Active
carbonn Climate Registry / CDP-ICLEI Unified Reporting System
Local and regional governments can’t manage what they don’t measure. The climate reporting proce...
Learn more
Active
Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy
GCoM recognizes that local governments are key to effective climate action. We work to organize and ...
Learn more
Our five pathways
How we are working across the five pathways
With more than 2500 cities, towns and regions from around the world engaged in our work, ICLEI is the largest network of local and regional governments committed to sustainability