On 28 September, ICLEI Colombia and its partners held the first Summit of Local and Subnational Governments for Climate Week Medellín 2026, bringing together more than 30 governments from 11 countries and 13 international organizations. The meeting established itself as a high-level political forum to accelerate climate action at the local level and marked the start of the Medellín Climate Week program.

Among the highlights were the launch of the Medellín Declaration – Local Leadership for a Resilient Future, which sets the course for local and subnational governments towards the 2026 COPs, and the awarding of the Ecological Merit Medal (Gold Category) to ICLEI by the Mayor’s Office of Medellín.

Inspired by international benchmarks such as London Climate Action Week, Climate Week NYC and San Francisco Climate Week, the city’s first Climate Week seeks to position Medellín as a strategic setting for dialogue, innovation and building alliances for the transition to more sustainable territories. 

In this context, the Summit of Local and Subnational Governments was configured as a pioneering initiative within the structures of Climate Weeks, being the first to bring together governments within the framework of a week dedicated to concentrating discussions and actions prior to the Conference of the Parties on climate change, which will be held in November.

From ICLEI, in a year marked by the holding of three Conferences of the Parties to the main United Nations conventions, it is considered essential to promote spaces that articulate the agendas of biodiversity, nature-based solutions and climate change, effectively incorporating the voices and representation of local and subnational governments. 

From this conviction emerged the Medellín Declaration, an instrument of collective will that articulates a shared vision on the role of local and subnational governments in implementing environmental and climate agendas. Its purpose is to more effectively connect the priorities and experiences of local communities with national and international spaces for cooperation, knowledge sharing, funding, and decision-making.

During the inaugural session, Rodrigo Perpétuo, executive secretary of ICLEI South America, presented a proposed declaration based on five principles. The Declaration is initiated by the leadership of local and subnational governments, but also calls upon international organizations, financial institutions and development banks, the private sector, academia, and civil society. The goal is to build a community of action capable of sharing knowledge, mobilizing resources, strengthening capacities, and scaling up solutions.

In addition to promoting new political commitments, strategic alliances and cooperation initiatives that strengthen the territorial implementation of international climate agreements, the Summit and the Medellín Declaration seek to position the priorities, experiences and perspectives of Latin America and the Caribbean in the main international processes related to climate, biodiversity and sustainable development.

Medal for Ecological Merit for ICLEI

At the close of the Summit, the Mayor’s Office of Medellín awarded ICLEI the Medal for Ecological Merit (Gold Category), in the strategic area of Contributions to the International Climate Agenda. The award highlights ICLEI’s role as a bridge between major global agreements and concrete, fundable, and people-centered urban projects.

As a facilitator of subnational participation in the United Nations Framework Conventions on Climate Change and Biological Diversity, ICLEI reaffirms its commitment to continue bringing the voice and needs of cities to global tables, on behalf of the more than 2,500 local and regional governments that are part of its network.

ICLEI thanks the Mayor’s Office of Medellín and ACI Medellín, its strategic partners —Corantioquia, Fonplata, GCoM, Vélez and Masbosques— and each mayor, delegation and expert who was part of the meeting.

The directors of ICLEI Colombia, Alejandro González; ICLEI Brazil, Armelle Cibaka, and the Executive Secretary of ICLEI South America, Rodrigo Perpétuo, with the award received by ICLEI (Photo: ICLEI Colombia)

Signatories of the Medellín Declaration

As of September 27, the Medellín Declaration had been signed by 34 local and subnational governments from seven countries and 15 organizations.

Governments

Argentina: Municipality of Rosario; Municipality of General Pico
Bolivia: Autonomous Municipal Government of La Paz; Municipality of Huarina
Brazil: Curitiba Prefecture; Curvelo Prefecture; Prefeitura de Brejo da Madre de Deus; Salvador de Bahia Prefecture; Fortaleza Prefecture; João Pessoa Prefecture
Colombia: Medellín Mayor’s Office; Bucaramanga Mayor’s Office; Florencia Mayor’s Office; Envigado Mayor’s Office; Villavicencio Mayor’s Office; La Estrella Mayor’s Office; Caldas Mayor’s Office; Cartagena Mayor’s Office; La Paz Province; Cartama Province; Aburrá Valley Metropolitan Area; Bucaramanga Metropolitan Area; Antioquia Governor’s Office; Valle del Cauca Governor’s Office
Costa Rica: Municipality of Oreamuno
Ecuador: GAD La Joya de los Sachas; GAD Ambato; GAD Cuenca; GAD Portoviejo; GAD San Pedro de Pelileo; GAD Manta; Province of Azuay; Consortium of Provincial Autonomous Governments of Ecuador (CONGOPE)
Mexico: Municipality of Zapopan

Organizations: Corantioquia; Cueros Vélez SAS; Colombian Red Cross; Colombian Association of Capital Cities (Asocapitales); Colombian Council for Sustainable Construction (CCCS); CEMPRE; Camacol Antioquia; FINDETER; Global Environment Council (GEC) – Colombia Chapter; Business Corporation of the Southern Aburrá Valley (ProSUR); National Association of Businessmen of Colombia (ANDI); WRI Colombia; Proantioquia; CDP; University of Buenos Aires.