Town Hall COPs: Connecting climate action at all levels

My community is hosting a similar event. Can we join the Town Hall COP Initiative?

Yes! The Town Hall COP Initiative is inclusive, understanding that local climate meetings can take many forms. Whether you call it a “mini-COP,” “City Climate Summit” or another term, we welcome you to register your event under the Town Hall COP Initiative.

Who can organize a Town Hall COP?

While local governments typically take the lead, community groups, universities, and other organizations can also initiate and organize these events. The Kampala youth-led local stocktake, for example, was organized primarily by youth groups with minimal municipal support.

However, the Town Hall COP model is designed to reflect the priorities and needs of the hosting community, therefore we encourage you to partner with your local government, community groups, universities, business networks, and other relevant stakeholders.

Does my event have to be called a “Town Hall COP”?

You can brand your event whatever name will resonate the most in your community. Other ideas include:
- Climate action town hall
- Community climate convention
- Community climate summit
- Community climate conversation

Are there funds available to support the implementation of our Town Hall COP?

Yes, ICLEI is committed to supporting communities from the Global South to organize and implement a Town Hall COP with the provision of a 2,000 EUR (two thousand Euro) grant. Please register your intent to organize a Town Hall COP and receive the list of criteria that must be fulfilled to be eligible for the grant.

How long should a Town Hall COP last?

A Town Hall COP should be as long as it needs to be to fully accomplish your goals. We imagine that the events will last at least three hours but could extend into a multi-day event depending on the priorities and stakeholders involved in the event.

Can I hold an online Town Hall COP?

While hybrid options may be important to accessibility, we encourage you to hold your Town Hall COP as an in-person event, to encourage connection, conversation and empathy between participants.