From 30 November to 2 December, the XIX ICLEI International Congress 2022 was held in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico, with the theme: “Multi-level climate action to achieve the SDGs”.

At the opening of the event, the Mayor of the host city, Los Cabos, B.C.S., Oscar Leggs, and the II Councillor of Los Cabos, Irene Galindo, gave a few words to kick off the event.

The congress consisted of ten sessions where different related topics aimed at achieving climate goals were discussed, such as multi-level governance, development through sustainable tourism, financing for climate action, non-motorised mobility and electrification in public transport, biodiversity and nature-based solutions, water resilience and strategies for incorporating the circular economy into urban systems.

The congress was attended by many specialists and public officials, who contributed with their vision and the projects they are carrying out in their respective cities. Among some of the speakers were: Verny Valerio, Mayor of San Rafael de Heredia, Costa Rica and Member of the Regional Executive Committee for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean of ICLEI; Silvia María Salas, Head of the Representation Office of the Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development in Baja California Sur; René Orellana, Regional Manager Mexico, Central America and Representative in Mexico of the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF, ); Irene Galindo, II Councillor of Los Cabos, B.C.S.; José Antonio Urteaga, Senior Energy Specialist of the Inter-American Development Bank (BID, ); Arturo Francisco Rodríguez, Director of the National Union of Local Governments of Costa Rica (UNGL); Samuel Verdeja, Municipal President of Ocoyoacac, State of Mexico; Delroy Williams, Mayor of Kingston, Jamaica; Nicolás Alberto Rosales, President of the Mexican Association of Transport and Mobility (AMTM); Bernardo Baranda, Latin American Regional Director of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP); Paulina Coronel Romo, Senior Advisor for Water and Climate of the Embassy of Costa Rica to the United States; Javier Arribas, Minister Counsellor for Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Transport of the Delegation of the European Union in Mexico; Lleïr Daban, Delegate of the Government of Catalonia in Mexico and Central America, among many others.

Within the framework of the congress, the VII Edition Award Ceremony for Sustainable Local Government was held, highlighting the work of the municipalities of Monterrey, Los Cabos, Mérida, Taxco, Mexico City, Ocoyoacac and Santa Ana Maya. Finally, Sayda Rodríguez from the State of Yucatán and Irene Galindo from Los Cabos, as well as mayors Luis Donaldo Colosio Riojas, from Monterrey, N.L. and Verny Valerio, from San Rafael de Heredia, Costa Rica, and Edgar Villaseñor Franco, ICLEI Regional Secretary for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean gave closing remarks to the congress.