Local Diplomacy Unit
At ICLEI, we empower mayors, county commissioners, council members, and other elected officials to take a strong and proactive stance on climate action. Through ICLEI’s role as the United Nations’ focal point organization on local governments — and initiatives like Cities Forward, Race to Resilience Culture, Cities Race to Zero, and Cities Race to Resilience — we provide a leadership platform that drives meaningful local and global impact.
The new ICLEI USA Local Climate Diplomacy Unit builds on 30 years of fostering local-to-local connections, offering a dedicated home for these efforts. Backed by recent U.S. Department of State funding, this unit embodies the collaboration and focus needed to scale up initiatives and meet today’s challenges alongside philanthropic and government partners.
Cities Forward: Commitment to Action
The Cities Forward program, a collaborative partnership of the U.S. Department of State, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, Resilient Cities Catalyst, and The Institute of the Americas provides peer-to-peer exchange, capacity building, and diplomatic engagement, all focused on implementing projects that solve critical urban challenges around sustainability, inclusivity, and resiliency.
The Race to Resilience Culture
The Race to Resilience Culture (RTRC) initiative, led by the U.S. Office and Africa Secretariat of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), aims to enhance climate resilience through the integration of cultural and heritage-based strategies (CHBSs) within communities in the United States and Africa.
U.S.-South Asia Mayoral Platform on Sustainable Cities
A groundbreaking initiative connecting mayors and city leaders across the U.S. and South Asia to exchange ideas and drive sustainable urban development. With 18 city representatives, ICLEI Asia, ICLEI USA, and USAID are tackling climate resilience, clean energy transitions, and equitable growth together.
The California-China Urban Climate Collaborative (CCUCC)
The CCUCC brings together cities in the U.S. and China to share expertise and drive low-carbon development, leveraging international collaboration to create innovative solutions for sustainable urban growth.
ICLEI USA and ICLEI East Asia are exploring relaunching the initiative in 2025.
Race to Zero
Race to Zero is a global campaign established by United Nations Climate and UK COP26 Climate Champions during Fall 2020 in order to rally ambitious leadership from all sectors of society — businesses, cities, regions, investors — in order to secure a future of warming that exceeds no more than 1.5 °C.
Race to Resilience
ICLEI USA wants to support your community’s climate resilience journey with our Cities Race to Resilience support package, an exclusive offer for ICLEI USA members that sign on to the Race.
Attend Climate or Nature COPs
ICLEI leaders share their community’s story by attending United Nations’ international conferences on climate (annually around November/December) and nature (every 2 years), offering a unique chance for elected leaders to take the global stage.