CARBONN CITIES CLIMATE REGISTRY LEADS RIO+20 VOLUNTARY COMMITMENTS
The carbonn Cities Climate Registry (cCCR) was upheld as an excellent example of Rio+20 voluntary commitments and presented alongside the Mexico City Pact by Marcelo Ebrard, Mayor of Mexico City and Chair of the World Mayors Council on Climate Change. “Cities are committed to measurable, reportable, verifiable climate action that the world can count on,” said Mayor Ebrard as he showcased the gains made by the Mexico City Pact and cCCR. More.
COPENHAGEN WINS EUROPEAN GREEN CAPITAL 2014
ICLEI Member City Copenhagen Denmark has won the European Green Capital for 2014. The Danish capital was awarded the prestigious title by EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik at a ceremony held in current Green Capital Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain). The award jury praised the city for its achievements in the fields of eco-innovation and sustainable mobility, its commitment to act as a role model for the green economy in Europe and beyond, and for its exceptional communication strategy. More
ICLEI LAUNCHES GREENCLIMATECITIES INITIATIVE AS FRAMEWORK FOR LOW-CARBON CITY DEVELOPMENT
The GreenClimateCities Initiative was launched on 18 June by ICLEI in response to the Appeal for Urgent Action on Climate Change by a taskforce of experts convened by Green Cross International President Mikhail S. Gorbachev. Under the initiative, cities receive guidance and technical support from ICLEI to help advance the transformation of local building stock and urban infrastructure to become energy-efficient, low-carbon and resilient and to reap the economic benefits of decisive climate action. More
FINANCING GREEN CITIES: CITIES VS. FINANCIERS
Urban Games, an event sponsored by the ADB in association with ICLEI, were a friendly competition between two teams – cities and financiers – to come up with innovative approaches to financing urban environmental infrastructure. The games were opened by ADB’s President Haruhiko Kuroda who argued that Asia needs to learn and share new financing approaches with others. The result was a satisfying draw and an agreement that continued collaboration is central to financing green cities.
ICLEI and partners announces Global Initiative on Urban Resilience
ICLEI and partners announce the Global Initiative on Urban Resilience (GIUR), an effort designed to spur building and infrastructure development, create new investment opportunities and foster community action around the world. More
WORLD MAYORS COUNCIL HOLDS GENERAL ASSEMBLY; ELECTS MAYOR PARK WON SOON AS CHAIR
Members of the World Mayors Council on Climate Change unanimously elected Park Won Soon, Mayor of Seoul Metropolitan Government as the next Chair of the Council during their General Assembly on 17 June in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Mayor Park becomes the 3rd Chair of the World Mayors Council and will assume the role from current Chair Marcelo Ebrard (Mexico City) in October at a special meeting in Seoul. Mayor Park also showed his commitment to local action by signing the Mexico City Pact. More
NEW BIODIVERSITY NETWORK LAUNCHES AT URBAN NATURE
The third Urban Nature Forum, hosted by the ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center with the City of Belo Horizonte, SEBRAE and the Secretariat of Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) provided an innovative science-policy -implementation interface on urban biodiversity and ecosystem management. The Urban Biosphere Initiative (URBIS) was launched, which will serve as an open network fostering knowledge exchange and promoting implementation of CBD Aichi Targets, specifically Decision X/22 and the Plan of Action for engagement of local governments. View presentations here.
