ICLEI

International sustainability organization

ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI, originally International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) is an international non governmental organization that promotes sustainable development. ICLEI provides technical consulting to local governments to identify and meet sustainability objectives. It has a strong focus on biodiversity and has worked across local, national, and global levels. ICLEI is considered a bridging organization, and in intermediation processes between local initiatives and regulatory actors. It has recognized the significance of cities for urban sustainability and helped to support their activities for over three decades. The international association was established when more than 200 local governments from 43 countries convened at its inaugural conference, the World Congress of Local Governments for a Sustainable Future, at the United Nations in New York in September 1990. As of 2023, over 2,500 cities towns and regions were listed as members. The only requirements for ICLEI membership are a self defined commitment to climate protection and the payment of annual membership dues. Dues are determined through a fair share model, based on the type of organization and its population size and income level. Cities and municipalities are recognized as key stakeholders with a significant role to play in implementing climate change policies and reducing emissions, through energy, transportation, land use, construction, waste management and education. Participation in city networks like ICLEI, with their potential for sharing of best practices, peer exchange, and joint projects, rose significantly in the 2000s. as of 2020, ICLEI counted more than 1,750 local governments within its network. As of 2023, over 2,500 cities towns and regions were listed as members.

ICLEI was founded in September 1990 as the "International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives" when over 200 local governments from 43 countries met at the inaugural World Congress of Local Governments for a Sustainable Future at the United Nations in New York. ICLEI went on to create an international training center in Freiburg, Germany and has added further secretariats such as the Latin America and the Caribbean Secretariat in Brazil in 2001. The ICLEI World Secretariat is located in Bonn, Germany. The United States branch, ICLEI USA, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization of the international organization of the same name. The U. S. office opened formally in 1995. ICLEI USA's Executive Office is based in Denver, Colorado. U. S. local government members include cities, towns, and counties of all sizes, from New York City and Los Angeles County to Dubuque, Iowa, Austin, Texas, Oberlin, Ohio and Burlington, Vermont. In 2003, ICLEI's local government members voted to revise the organization's mission, charter and name to better reflect the current challenges local governments face, and the broader topic of sustainability. The "International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)" was renamed "ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability", with a broader mandate to address sustainability issues, not only environmental issues. For its 30th anniversary, ICLEI adopted a new logo (released officially in February 2021) which emphasizes the organization's connections in terms of its members, offices and elements (represented by the logo's colors: water, air and climate (blue), nature (green) and cities (yellow)).

ICLEI is a democratic organization whose governing bodies are the ICLEI Council and the Global Executive Committee (GexCom), two groups of local leaders elected by ICLEI Members every three years. The ICLEI Council is formed by elected members from the Regional Executive Committees (RexCom) for the ICLEI regions. As of 2023, these are Africa; East Asia; Europe; Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean; North America (Canada and the USA); Oceania; South America; South Asia; and Southeast Asia. One representative from each RexCom is then elected as a regional representative to the ICLEI Global Executive Committee (GexCom), along with portfolio holders who are elected to the GexCom by the members of the ICLEI Council based on their thematic expertise. The ICLEI GexCom and Council have the power to represent ICLEI on the global stage and steer the organization by setting ICLEI global strategy and policies. The Council convenes every three years at an ICLEI World Congress and establishes ICLEI's priorities and direction through the adoption of a six year Strategic Plan. The most recent ICLEI World Congress was held in Montreal from 19 to 22 June 2018. Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the ICLEI World Congress will be held in two parts: the first one held virtually from 13 to 15 April 2021, while the second one will take place in Malmö, Sweden, in 2022. Members elect 21 representatives to serve on the Executive Committee, which oversees the implementation of the Strategic Plan and ICLEI operations.]] Every three years, ICLEI elects a Presidium, consisting of a President, First Vice President, and two further Vice Presidents. As of 2018,
Ashok Sridharan, the Mayor of Bonn, Germany, was elected as ICLEI President. In 2021, Frank Cownie, Mayor of Des Moines, Iowa, was elected President. The founding Secretary General of ICLEI, Jeb Brugmann, served from 1990 2000. He was succeeded by Sean Southey (2001), Konrad Otto Zimmermann (2002 2012), and Gino Van Begin (2013 ).

ICLEI has been a target of conspiracy theories related to its support for Agenda 21, a nonbinding United Nations initiative that seeks to promote responsible resource and land conservation. Agenda 21 is used worldwide and considered favorably for city planning. The framework encourages local communities to develop concrete strategies to meet their needs, through public involvement, open decision making, partnerships and networking. The Tea Party movement, the John Birch Society, and others have promoted a variant of the New World Order conspiracy theory, in which they claim that ICLEI and Agenda 21 are part of a secret UN conspiracy, and to block smart city planning in many US states. They have opposed measures such as the expansion of public transportation, creation of bike lanes and bike share programs, and the preservation of open green space in cities. While the peak period of activity around the Agenda 21 conspiracy theory was in 2012 2013,