The need for local and state leadership in the energy transition has never been greater. That’s why ICLEI USA brought local leaders to Washington, D.C. to attend the 2025 Energy Security Summit, hosted by Elected Officials to Protect America.
Energy Security: Global Risk, Local Opportunity
Over two days of dialogue, local actors discussed renewable energy’s potential to advance national security. Veterans expressed concern over the amount of military lives lost while conveying oil, while Ukrainian leaders shared how renewable, decentralized, and interconnected energy systems allow their country to persevere through Russian attacks.
These ideas of security and resilience translate to the local level too, underscoring the importance of funding community-scale energy infrastructure projects. In a panel moderated by ICLEI USA Executive Director Saharnaz Mirzazad, industry leaders discussed how to ensure Inflation Reduction Act funding is delivered to the intended recipient communities across all 50 states. Kate Kruk of Lynkwell Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Solutions expressed: “Put the money we’re investing where it belongs — in our community.”
Capital Cities Clean Energy Collaborative Kicks Off
Also at the Summit, 20 local and state leaders joined ICLEI USA’s Capital Cities Clean Energy Collaborative Kickoff and breakfast. Local and state elected officials discussed opportunities to advance EV uptake and build decarbonization, with a particular focus on local-state collaboration, over two panels and a breakout discussion. Georgia State Representative Sandra Givens Scott shared that, while the state is laying the groundwork through Electric Vehicle Charging Station Tax Credits and other initiatives, “this work is not quick enough to address the challenges of climate change alone.” Local and state governments must collaborate to accelerate their impact through programs like New York State’s Climate Smart Communities or enabling legislation for local-level policies like Community Choice Aggregation.
Breaking Down Barriers to Local-State Collaboration
As many participants noted, this collaboration is easier said than done. “We need states to empower, not block,” as Georgia and other states often do through preemption. Local leaders shared how they continue with infrastructure updates in the absence of state support: Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen of Coral Springs, FL, and ICLEI USA board member, suggested working with the school board to turn schools into resilience hubs, while Georgia State Representative Derrick Jackson shared the Atlanta area’s immense success in attracting public-private partnerships for EV charging stations.
Looking forward, Capital Cities Clean Energy Collaborative participants will continue this dialogue to identify new pathways for local-state collaboration. Participants will meet virtually in June and July and conclude the Collaborative with a final in-person meeting in August.