I Was at COP17 and This Is What U.S. Local Governments Need to Know

Lessons from the UN Biodiversity Conference for U.S. cities and counties

Wednesday, December 2, 2026 | 12:30 p.m. PT / 3:30 p.m. ET
Online webinar

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About the webinar

Healthy ecosystems help protect drinking water, support food production, and sustain local economies. Cities and counties can help protect these resources through the decisions they make about land use, infrastructure, and conservation.

In October, ICLEI USA brought a delegation of U.S. local leaders to the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia. The delegation shared how American communities are protecting nature and heard how local governments around the world are doing the same.

Join ICLEI USA on December 2 to hear what delegates learned at COP17 and what they’re bringing home. Speakers will discuss how U.S. cities and counties can help meet the goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework while making their communities safer and more resilient.

Speakers

• Ambassador Nina Hachigian, CEO of the Alliance for Local Leaders International (ALLIES), the first U.S. Special Representative for City and State Diplomacy, and ICLEI USA Senior Advisor on Local Diplomacy
• Mayor Tim Keller, City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and ICLEI USA Board Member
• Doug Walters, Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief Resiliency Officer, City of Los Angeles, California
• Dr. Kendall Helm, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
• Kale Roberts, Director of Local Diplomacy, ICLEI USA