For Regional Governments
Regional planning agencies, councils of governments, metropolitan planning organizations and other regional authorities join ICLEI as a Regional Affiliate to access our support in service of the municipalities in their jurisdictions.
Build your custom journey
To help regioins create more sustainable communities, we provide:
- The Network
- The frameworks
- The Tools
- The Technical Assistance
Contact us to map a custom affiliate journey and become part of the largest and longest-running network of governments advancing sustainability and climate action.
How We Work with Regional Governments
Regional Affiliates have access to ICLEI’s tools, technical assistance, templates and resources in ways similar to city members but with several benefits of particular value for regional action.
Access Regional Tools Accounts
Collaborate using data
ICLEI’s industry-leading tools, including ClearPath, have been used by more than 600 local governments to measure and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, set science-based targets, prepare for climate impacts, prioritize sustainability actions and collaborate in real time to implement tested solutions. Regional Affiliates have access to the data and accounts of each municipality in their jurisdiction.
Receive Technical Assistance
Work with the people that wrote the protocols
Through one-on-one support and regular regional training cohorts, ICLEI staff experts serve as your go-to resource for emissions management, biodiversity, SDG action, peer-city collaboration and more. We have led a number of regional climate planning efforts and our experts will share lessons learned to help you run a successful program, from regional greenhouse gas inventories to full planning efforts.
Follow Proven Frameworks
Build holistic, systemic change
Hundreds of communities have followed the ICLEI Five Pathways approach to sustainability, and continue to apply our enhanced ANALYZE-ACT-ACCELERATE methodology for tackling integrated challenges.
Build Your Staff Capacity
Match your workflow to the support options of your choice
Affiliates receive one-on-one technical support and enrollment in facilitated group training cohorts hosted annually. Our experts can check your data, review your plans, coach your staff and serve as allies to support your planning process. We can develop custom workshops for our Affiliates.
Connect to a Global Network of Regions
Be part of the global movement
Our affiliates are among 2,250 governments, including regions, acting on sustainability and climate around the world. Regular convenings, including international collaboration cohorts, Daring Cities and ICLEI World Congress, bring our members together to accelerate their impact.
Regional Affiliate Story
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ GHG Contribution Analysis
Serving the Washington, DC region, Metropolitan Washington COG has created GHG emissions inventories for a number of cities for years in order to track progress toward meeting the region’s climate goals. Yet, there are challenges around using past inventory trends to inform future action. For example, to what extent were external factors—includings population growth and weather—driving any given year’s decline in emissions as opposed to local policies such as building codes?
Metropolitan Washington COG used ICLEI’s Contribution Analysis tool to determine that a colder winter in 2015 and population and commercial growth drove increases—outpacing decreases from a cleaner grid, more efficient vehicles and less driving per capita. The analysis informed which actions were prioritized in the Regional Climate and Energy Action Plan.
Testimonials
Mountain Towns Cohort
“We had just started meeting as a cohort of governments to discuss resilience initiatives when we found out about the opportunity to have support from ICLEI through the MT2030 group. The guidance and resources that ICLEI provided streamlined our process of creating GHG inventories for each city and the county. At times, it was not easy to “herd cats” so to speak between governments and interns, but Tom showed infinite patience with our questions and extended timeframe due to COVID and an influx of new residents to our remote location in the Wood River Valley of Idaho. Comparing each city showed surprising differences in the sources of emissions. We are so excited by this foundation and the opportunity to use the information to develop a Climate Action Plan! Already, stakeholders are incorporating emissions into decision-making such as evaluating options for recycling collection. Clean energy goals have been adopted by several jurisdictions. And, funding has been allocated to create a Regional Sustainability Manager!”
Indiana University Resilience Cohort
“[Without the Indiana University Resilience Cohort], we would not have had the internal capacity to complete GHG Inventory based on current staffing levels”
Zero Net Energy Cohort
"As a local government sustainability practitioner, the 2019 Zero Net Energy Cohort webinar series provided me with valuable and detailed expertise and case studies from professionals in the field that advanced our approach to zero net energy at the City of Fremont. The webinar format offered a fine balance of technical assessments of leading edge ZNE technologies and policies and practical discussions of the governmental, economic, and cultural considerations for implementation. This added knowledge will inform the Sustainability Team’s development of policy measures, local sustainability projects, and local building reach codes as the City continues to push towards its ambitious climate and sustainability goals."
Indiana University Resilience Cohort
“I am so thankful for having ICLEI as a partner in the Resilience Cohort program. Their technical expertise and the platform they have for providing support exponentially increased our ability to guide Indiana communities on their path towards climate resilience and greenhouse gas mitigation.”
“It’s a huge challenge to coordinate a regional climate action plan. Each jurisdiction has different goals and priorities, and we’ve had to make a lot of adjustments throughout the process. ICLEI and SEEC have a lot of great resources. I relied a lot on the protocols and ClearPath guides."
