ICLEI has grown for the last 20 years to over 1200 members strong, and is now the largest global association of local governments worldwide. To adapt to our growth, our current governance structures need to be updated to meet new demands and to prepare ICLEI as a global association for the future.

To implement the new governance model, the ICLEI Executive Committee has called for an extraordinary Council Meeting of all eligible ICLEI Members to amend the ICLEI Charter. The virtual global ICLEI Council Meeting shall open on 12 September 2011. All ICLEI Full Members shall have the opportunity to vote on the proposed Charter.

The new governance model comment period opens 16 August!
On 16 August all ICLEI Members will receive an email inviting them to visit the Member’s Only page of the global website to view the proposed ICLEI Charter and to comment on the new governance model. The comment period will be open from 16 August until 12 September 2011.

Watch out for our email on Tuesday, 16 August!

• The Global Climate Advocacy at the UNFCCC will coordinate the advocacy group representing the local government and municipal authorities (LGMA) constituency to the UNFCCC. We will build on our success of having been recognized as "governmental stakeholders" at COP16 in Cancun, and are now pushing for real engagement of LGs in the global climate regime. We will coordinate daily briefings, interventions to official sessions, LG inputs to UNFCCC negotiation texts and lead bilateral discussions with negotiators. The ICLEI delegation will also support the Rio Pavilion, apply for a side event and exhibition space at the UNFCCC venue, and present achievements of ICLEI´s climate actions globally. Follow us on www.iclei.org/climate-roadmap.
   
• ICLEI will convene a ‚Global Environmental Governance‘ roundtable with high level stakeholders on 4 December at the second annual World Climate Summit (WCS) to discuss the future framework for global environmental governance. The roundtable will take place 3-4 December.
   
• A LG Climate Lounge throughout the two weeks of negotiations should provide a space for cities and loclal governments to embed themselves in the negotiations in Durban, allowing for debates, briefings, disucssions and side events focusing on LGs.

In June 2012 the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, often called Rio+20, will take place in Rio de Janeiro, which also hosted the 1992 "Earth Summit". In preparation for Rio+20, the UN is holding a series of global and regional preparatory events. Local government representatives are cordially invited to participate.
Rio+20 will focus on Green Economy and the global governance for sustainable development.

ICLEI believes local governments are crucial for both themes: the Green Urban Economy is a key element of a global Green Economy, and Local Governments should truly participate in global sustainable development governance.

Further information and briefing sheets are available on www.iclei.org/local2012. Further information about the regional meetings is available here. 

Regional Preparatory Meetings for Rio+20 will be held between September and December 2011:
· for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC, Santiago, Chile, 7 – 9 September 2011
· for the Africa Region, ECA and partners, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 10 – 14 October 2011
· for the Arab Region, ESCWA and partners, Cairo, Egypt, 16 – 17 October 2011
· for the Asia Pacific Region, ESCAP, Seoul, Rep. of South Korea, 19 – 20 October 2011
· for Europe, ECE, Geneva, Switzerland, 1 – 2 December 2011

The Resilient Cities 2011 world congress on cities and adaptation to climate change took place in Bonn, Germany from 3-5 June 2011, bringing over 500 delegates, including Mayors, governors, top UN officials and major stakeholders from around the world, to discuss challenges and bring forward solutions to climate adaptation and urban resilience.

Have a taste of the congress atmosphere and highlights by watching its summary video.
The Resilient Cities 2011 summary video features among others:
- Joan Clos, Executive Director, UN-HABITAT;
Congress Patron and Chair of the Resilient Cities 2011 Steering Board 
- Jürgen Nimptsch, Mayor of Bonn, Germany; Vice Chair, World Mayors Council on Climate Change
- Michel Liès, Chairman Global Partnerships, Member of Executive Board, Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd
- Muchadeyi Masunda, Mayor of Harare, Zimbabwe; Co-President, UCLG
- Andrew Steer, Special Envoy for Climate Change, World Bank
- Herbert Bautista, Mayor of Quezon City, Philippines; Member, World Mayors Council on Climate Change
- Jeb Brugmann, Managing Partner, The Next Practice and author of the ICLEI white paper ‘Financing the Resilient City’

Check the complete photo gallery and the speakers presentations!

Do not miss the next opportunity to meet with the urban climate adaptation and resilience community:
Resilient Cities 2012 - 11-13 May 2012, Bonn, Germany
Save the date!

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is the world's largest developer and publisher of International Standards. As of July 2011, ICLEI is accredited to the Sub-Committee on greenhouse gas management and related activities (ISO/TS207/SC7) as a Category A organization which refers to international organizations that make an effective contribution to the work of the technical committee or subcommittee for questions dealt with by this technical committee or subcommittee without a voting right. ICLEI is recognized as the first local government network that is integrated in the work of ISO under this category. The Working Group 3 of the Sub-Committee is focusing on development of ISO/TR-14069 that will provide guidance on carbon footprint of organizations, where ICLEI is playing a key role in drafting sections related to greenhouse gas inventories of local governments.

carbonn Cities Climate Registry is one of the two groundbreaking global initiatives that was launched at the World Mayors Summit on Climate in Mexico City on 21 November 2010. As of August 2011, 12 cities have already started to report their local climate information in the system. Acting as the operator of the Registry, Bonn Center for Local Climate Action and Reporting – carbonn is starting webinars to facilitate local governments for their data input process. The webinars will take place on 23-24-25 August 2011 twice a day. Access details can be reached at www.citiesclimateregistry.org/announcement.

ICLEI at Eco-Forum Global 2011 in Guiyang

Having visited China last year, President David Cadman and Secretary General Konrad Otto-Zimmermann returned to represent ICLEI at the Eco-Forum Global (EFG) 2011 in Guiyang (Guizhou Province), upon special invitation by EFG and UNDP China. ICLEI was honored to contribute to both opening and closing plenaries, and to present ICLEI and its climate work to Chinese cities going "low carbon" with the NDRC low-carbon cities pilot program.

Together with Conference Chairman Prof. Zhang Xinsheng, ICLEI explored ways to work closely with EFG and UNDP China, contributing to the Eco-Forum Global conference and Chinese cities taking part in ICLEI's Resilient Cities congress. Meetings were also held with UNEP China, UN-HABITAT Program Office China, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), WWF China, World Resources Institute China. Upon invitation by Professor Pan Jiahua, Executive Director of CASS' Research Centre for Sustainable Development (RCSD), ICLEI Secretary General also gave a seminar talk to researchers of his institute.
In times of rapid urbanization and urban development, ICLEI as global cities network has many offers for Chinese cities to help them achieve their sustainability goals. Stay tuned for more China news!

The City of Cape Town Launches the Green Goal Legacy Report

A Report on the Host City’s Award-Winning Environmental Programme of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™
The Mayor of the City of Cape Town, South Africa, and the Premier of the Western Cape Province launched the 2010 FIFA World Cup™: Green Goal Legacy Report on 11 July 2011. Cape Town, a 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Host City, succeeded in reducing the environmental impact of the international event through the implementation of the Green Goal programme. More »

Improving energy efficiency of European building stock on the agenda at Local Renewables 2011

Despite the abundance of cutting-edge technologies available for greening buildings, many are not commonly used. What needs to be done to ensure these innovative ideas and technologies are made standard? This year’s Local Renewables Conference: Green Buildings and Renewable Energy –The Way Forward in Urban Development, will tackle these questions and ask what cities can do to go beyond existing rules and regulations to make their communities more energy efficient.

The event will take place from 27-28 October 2011 in Freiburg (Germany) and will explore clever heating and cooling technologies, as well as best practice examples from various European cities in the fields of retrofitting projects and historical buildings and zero emission districts. The question of how to finance such projects will be the central theme and the conference will culminate with a plenary on financing, in which different models and mechanisms for financing including the new Energy Efficiency Fund will be discussed.

Taking place in Freiburg’s Solar Center, the event will have a session entirely dedicated to project findings from the Sustainable Construction & Innovation through Procurement(SCI) network, an expert network that connects public authorities looking to procure innovative and sustainable solutions for their construction projects.

For more information, contact lr2011@iclei.org.

Bresso and Maćkowiak-Pandera to speak at ICLEI European Convention
 
Mercedes Bresso, President of the Committee of the Regions(CoR) and Joanna Maćkowiak-Pandera, Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Environment, responsible for the Polish Presidency in the Council of the European Union have been added to the ICLEI European Convention programme.

The ICLEI European Convention 2011 "Cities in Europe 2020 - Enhance sustainability now!" will take place in Brussels, Belgium, on 12-14 September 2011 and will act as a forum for ICLEI members, representatives of the business community and local government decision makers to discuss the implementation of Europe-wide sustainability measures in cities focusing on the EU 2020 Strategyand its seven flagship initiatives. The three-day programme promises to feature a preliminary review of European local sustainability.
 
For more information about the Convention, visit http://convention2011.iclei-europe.org.

Rubbish to power the City of Johannesburg

EnerG Systems Joburg has been commissioned to implement a new project in the City of Johannesburg, South Africa, that will use landfill sites to create renewable energy. Project Spokesperson, Khomotso Makuse, said it is anticipated that the renewable energy produced will be fed into the municipal grid, with the aim of offsetting some of the coal-derived electricity, on which the city is so reliant. This will not only reduce harmful gases produced by landfills, but will also combat related bad odours. Revenue is expected to be generated through emission-reduction certificates, redeemed via the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. More».

Liveable Cities Forum in Montréal - 21, 22 August, 2011 

Liveable Cities is 18 days away! Register now!

The Liveable Cities Forum is the ideal event to network and engage with colleagues from across the globe on biodiversity issues that matter at the local level.  The Forum provides an opportunity for local leaders and other stakeholders to connect with innovative ideas and thinkers. 

Participate in panel and workshop sessions touching on a variety of tools and resources that build local capacity on urban biodiversity management
Visit http://www.iclei.org/biodiversityincanada for more information and to register!

Confirmed Speakers:
•Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary to the Convention on Biological Diversity
•Hon. Pierre Arcand, Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, and Parks, Province of Québec
•David Cadman, ICLEI President and Councillor, City of Vancouver
•Oliver Hillel, Programme Officer, Sustainable Use, Tourism, and Island Biodiversity, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity
•Alan DeSousa, Councillor, City of Montréal
•Fabienne Gibourdeaux, Deputy Mayor, City of Paris
•Grant Pearsell, Director, Office of Biodiversity, City of Edmonton
•André Mader, Programme Officer, Local Authorities and Biodiversity, Secretariat of  the Convention on Biological Diversity
•Sara J. Wilson, Principal, Natural Capital Research and Consulting
•Jochen Jaeger, Professor, Concordia University

Conference Themes
•Making the Case for Urban Nature - Showcasing the Benefits of Local Action
•Taking Stock of Urban Nature - Measure, Monitor, and Evaluate
•Mainstreaming Biodiversity - Strategies for Integrating Biodiversity into Local Policies, Land Use Plans, and Management Systems
•Connecting People to Nature

For more information contact biodiversity-canada@iclei.org for more information. ..

World Bank to study Delhi’s waste-to-energy plant

India’s first waste-to-energy plant in member city Delhi has been chosen by the World Bank for a case study, at the C40 Cities Mayor’s Summit, held in Sao Paulo in Brazil between May 31 and June 2, 2011. Delhi’s Timarpur Okhla Municipal Solid Waste Management plant, a private-public partnership project of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is spread over a two-acre landfill in Okhla in south Delhi. The project would also help in collecting and processing a major chunk of Delhi’s garbage as part of the solid waste management plan of the city. 

Member cities awarded ‘Nagar-ratna’ under JNNURM

Member cities Ahmedabad, Kalyan-Dombivli, Pune, Rajkot, Surat and Vadodara have been awarded the 'Nagar-ratna' award for best practices in the areas of development schemes under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban renewal Mission (JNNURM). All India Institute of Local Self Government (AIILSG) has selected these cities among 65 cities under the JNNURM. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has been adjudged the best municipal corporation in the country. AMC bagged the first place for providing better civic amenities to its citizens. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) been picked as the third best performing city, where as Surat is placed in top three in individual class for innovation. The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) bagged the award for the urban poor housing schemes in the city and Rajkot for complaints redressal system. The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation won the award for the best road development by any civic body in the country.