ICLEI World Congress 2024 - Full Program
Congress Agenda
Global Research & Innovation Symposium
The Symposium brings together a diverse set of stakeholders for a full day of collaboration and insights. All Congress participants are welcome. See the full agenda and register.
Opening Ceremony
Watch the opening ceremony live on YouTube starting at 19:30 Brasília Time (GMT-3) Welcome to São Paulo! From 18th to 21st of June, the urban sustainability world converged in Brazil,…
The power of a network
Watch this plenary live on YouTube! With more than 2500 cities, towns and regions from around the world engaged in our work, ICLEI is the largest network of local and…
Our changing world
Watch this plenary live on YouTube! We are living in times of rapidly accelerating technological change and economic uncertainty, as the world is plagued by two dangerous crises: climate and…
Hopeful solutions in a post-1.5 °C world: Moving from inequity to city-scale resilience
2023 shattered another climate change record: It was not only the warmest year on record but also the first year where every day was at least 1°C warmer than the…
Transforming local food systems for global impact
Cities have great potential to tackle many of the challenges we currently face, such as increased severe weather events, biodiversity loss, high rates of isolation, and malnutrition. Transforming our urban…
Equity in action: Shaping climate solutions for all
While climate change disproportionately affects low-income communities and other disadvantaged groups, climate investments often fail to benefit all residents alike. In fact, climate mitigation strategies, plans, and actions have traditionally…
A force to be reckoned with: New ICLEI Members in the spotlight
Since our founding, ICLEI’s Member local and regional governments have been at the center of developing best practices that shape the definition of urban sustainable development. Through knowledge sharing, fostering…
Protecting our communities with resilient urban water systems
Urban areas, and the water they consume, carry away and process, forms a complex network of interconnected communities and ecosystems. In addition, the pressures of continued urban development and a…
Can data bridge the gap to greener cities?
How can we harness data across global, local and regional governments to create smarter, greener cities? We’re bringing together experienced practitioners from diverse regions who have found success replicating successful…
Gaming the local sustainable energy transition
Transforming our energy systems is crucial for effective climate action. Adopting renewable energy sources, including resources for clean cooking, results in numerous benefits across socio-economic, environmental, climate, and health domains,…
Wheels of change: Future-proofing urban mobility
Urban mobility stands at a nexus of the welfare of people, the economic vitality of communities, and the ecological health of our planet. As we seek to decarbonize our transportation…
Greening our urban tapestry: Collaboration and solutions for nature and biodiversity
As the global biodiversity crisis escalates, cities are poised to take a leading role in safeguarding nature within urban environments. What are cities already doing to successfully address biodiversity loss…
From two billion tons to zero: taking on our big waste problem through the circular economy
Cities produce just over 2 billion tons of solid waste each year and by 2050, this figure is expected to rise to close to 4 billion tons. While cities are…
Resilience as a strategy: How governments can reduce extreme event risks and disasters
We’ll explore losses and damages, including best practices from regions around the world for risk and disaster management. What are the patterns and trends from around the world? We’ll analyze…
Harnessing opportunities and reducing risks: Using artificial intelligence for local climate action
The session unpacks how artificial intelligence (AI) can inform climate action in cities worldwide. As achieving our sustainability goals becomes increasingly urgent, AI is emerging as a key tool for…
Amazonian cities, unique and irreplaceable
Watch this plenary live on YouTube! A special dialogue on urban Amazonia, the region encompassing the world’s largest rainforest, and one of only three global hotspots for biocultural diversity. Its…
Global south perspectives: Centering human rights in equitable and just climate adaptation
Join us to explore innovative strategies that place people at the forefront of sustainable development, emphasizing human rights and environmental harmony. We’ll travel from the verdant Amazon rainforest to the…
Nurturing community and planetary well-being
Discover how cities can flourish when nature and human health unite. Join us for a dynamic session, where you’ll hear experts delve into actionable strategies and ignite collaboration to build…
Weaving knowledge: Integrating traditional knowledge and education in environmental sustainability
Local communities, indigenous peoples and youth can and should play a pivotal role in the practical implementation of sustainable local action but their involvement presents both challenges and advantages. Local…
A seat at the table: Getting the green (finance) for green projects
Cities, the main protagonists in tackling the climate crisis, have ambitious climate goals and plans. But they often face difficulties in transforming ideas into concrete projects to attract financing. In…
How everyone can thrive in gender-responsive cities
Urban women have long had their needs neglected and voices excluded from the decision-making processes that shape our living environments. This includes uneven access to economic opportunities, safety concerns, and…
Tomorrow’s cities today: Megacities driving global change
Megacities such as São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Seoul are centers of innovation, commerce, and culture, but they also face challenges such as poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation. Through collaboration…
From global to local to global: Shaping the future of sustainability
Watch this plenary live on YouTube! South America is set to become the center of the global climate and nature agendas in the coming year. With the Convention for Biological…
Town Hall COPs: Local voices tackling the climate emergency
Meaningful, authentic community engagement requires all cities and regions to enhance the inclusivity and comprehensiveness of stakeholder events. Hosting “Town Hall COPs” and other climate-related events allows local governments to…
A force to be reckoned with: New ICLEI Members in the spotlight
Since our founding, ICLEI’s Member local and regional governments have been at the center of developing best practices that shape the definition of urban sustainable development. Through knowledge sharing, fostering…
Connect leading-edge science with real-world impact
With work already underway on the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities, due in 2027, we will provide cities and subnational governments with an unparalleled opportunity to gain…
Unlocking innovative finance at the city scale
As local governments and city networks seek to advance sustainable development initiatives, access to climate finance remains a critical challenge. This session offers a platform for participants to learn from…
The power of youth: Building fair and equal communities
Local and regional governments increasingly recognize the critical role that young people must play in achieving ambitious climate goals through local action. But we still lack clear paths, processes and…
Coastal cities, communities and climate change: Charting a resilient course
Coastal settlements range from small settlements to small island states with maritime populations and/or beaches and atolls that are major tourist attractions, large cities that are major transport and financial…
Sustainability at scale: Setting a global standard for sustainable cities
How can standards scale sustainable urban development at the regional, national and global level? We’ll delve into how these powerful tools can foster climate-neutral, resilient cities that respect our planet’s…
The art of impact: How creativity boosts sustainable change
Creativity and innovation are two powerful instruments to drive sustainable change and enhance community engagement. Drawing on a range of creative approaches and tools used by the ICLEI network, this…
A bigger toolbox: Leveraging a fuller set of city powers for sustainable development
Complex interactions between legal and regulatory structures can both enable and hinder local governments from acting on their sustainability policies and priorities. In some cases, a rigid system of rules…
Disrupt! Becoming a catalyst for agenda-setting innovation
According to the UNEP, the world is on track to exceed warming beyond 1.5 degrees by 2030 unless global emissions are reduced by 7.6% per year between 2020-2030. At this…
The strategic impact of buying: Procurement for non-procurers
Public procurement is increasingly becoming a way in which cities can achieve their strategic and organizational objectives while also benefiting from emerging innovations that meet their exact needs. This session…
ICLEI climate trailblazers: Leading the way in ambitious, inclusive and integrated climate action from Paris to Belém
This session aims to showcase ICLEI Members’ climate action leadership since the Paris Agreement through sharing good practices and tools that have positioned them well to set even more ambitious,…
Accelerating forward: Mapping our path to 2030
Watch this plenary live on YouTube! As the ICLEI World Congress 2024 draws to a close, our collective journey towards sustainable development is only gaining momentum. This final plenary focused…
