Bonn, Germany (January 22, 2025) – EARTHDAY.ORG, EDO, the global leader in Earth Day advocacy, observed by over one billion people every April 22, and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, are thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of Earth Action Day, an ambitious initiative to engage local communities worldwide in renewable energy and climate action dialogues.
Set to kick off in April 2025 and continue throughout the year, Earth Action Day invites mayors, city governments, and their communities to discuss climate action in their communities, with a special focus on how renewable energy can bring social, economic, and environmental benefits to their regions.
“This Earth Day, communities worldwide will be holding vital conversations about renewable energy implementation, not only as an essential lever in addressing climate change but also as a key step towards a resilient and prosperous future,” said Kathleen Rogers, President of EARTHDAY.ORG. “Renewable energy creates jobs, mitigates climate change, reduces electricity bills, and attracts critical investments—benefiting every corner of society.”
Renewable energy is a local solution to a global crisis which is why EDO designated the theme for Earth Day 2025 as Our Power, Our Planet, calling for a tripling of electricity generation via renewable energy sources by 2030.
This message and its focus on local implementation comes at a crucial time where mayors and city governments have become the driving force to address climate change, as federal officials in the U.S. move to shutter national environmental programs. “When the U.S. withdrew from the Paris Agreement in 2017, local leaders stood strong and renewed their climate commitments,” said Saharnaz Mirzazad, Executive Director of ICLEI USA. “Today, that resolve is stronger than ever. Local action is where real solutions emerge, and as climate impacts intensify across our communities, our collective efforts are more critical than ever.” As the U.S. withdraws from the Paris Agreement once again, Earth Action Day will demonstrate that local officials remain steadfast in their commitment and leadership on climate change.
Earth Action Day is about building on the success of the Town Hall COPs initiative, a mechanism pioneered by ICLEI to empower local governments and their communities to address climate challenges collaboratively. Energy-focused town halls will draw upon pathways explored by ICLEI’s 100% Renewables Cities and Regions Roadmap, which works with municipalities across three continents to enable financially viable plans to reach net zero. The Town Hall COPs initiative has garnered support from city leaders in Germany, Brazil, and the United States and is now expanding to cities across the globe.
Renewable energy—including solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, and hydro— is about achieving significant economic opportunities while simultaneously mitigating climate change. For instance in Washington, DC, taxpayers are expected to save $45 million by 2035 from a city-led renewable energy initiative in which wind power provides about a third of DC’s electricity needs. In comparison, fossil fuels would have cost the city 30% more to provide the same amount of electricity. Meanwhile, a solar farm developed by the City of Charlotte, North Carolina, is not only lowering electric bills but is also expected to save $20 million in healthcare costs due to improved air quality.
“When local governments invest in renewable energy, everybody wins,” said Saharnaz Mirzazad, Executive Director of ICLEI USA. “We’ve worked with municipalities to support clean power projects that delivered significant savings on energy costs across the entire community, from citizens to businesses to the operations of government itself. Town Halls COPs offer the venue for these conversations — and action — to take place.”
Earth Action Day will highlight municipal leadership and bring together diverse stakeholders—businesses, schools, unions, faith groups, and families—to explore how renewable energy can transform their communities.
“This initiative is about empowering local communities to take charge of their energy futures and tell their local leaders they want an Earth Action Day to explore how they can leverage renewable energy,” said Evan Raskin, National Campaign Manager at EARTHDAY.ORG. “From schools to faith groups, everyone has a role in shaping the renewable energy transition. There are so many ways to get involved from exploring solar panels for your school to utilizing clean power to reduce energy bills for low-income families. All over the world community driven action, working hand in hand with local governments, is changing our energy story.”
Pilot conversations are already in development in cities like Malmö (Sweden), Riverside (California), St. Helens (UK), and Turku (Finland), and hundreds more are expected to follow.
To learn more about how you can get involved in Earth Action Day, whether you are a council leader, mayor or a community leader, please contact Evan Raskin, National Campaign Manager, at raskin@earthday.org or +1 781-686-5513.
About EARTHDAY.ORG: Founded in 1970 by the organizers of the first Earth Day, EARTHDAY.ORG has grown into one of the world’s largest environmental movements, mobilizing over one billion people annually on Earth Day and every day to protect the planet and its people. Our mission is to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental community globally. As the largest recruiter to this movement, EARTHDAY.ORG partners with more than 150,000 organizations in nearly 192 countries to promote environmental democracy. Learn more at EARTHDAY.ORG.
About ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability: ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (known as “ICLEI”) is a global network of more than 2,500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Active in 125+ countries, we influence sustainability policy and drive local action for low emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development. Our Members and team of experts work together through peer exchange, partnerships and capacity building to create systemic change for urban sustainability. Learn more at iclei.org.
For media inquiries/quotes/comment/inspiration/resources and interviews:
Sarah T Davies, davies@earthday.org, +1 240 463 1341 (Washington DC)
Terran Fielder, fielder@earthday.org, +1 661 444 4436 (Washington DC)