Press Release

Local leaders share consensus on radical and rapid action needed on sustainability

Edmonton, Canada -The ICLEI World Congress 2009 wrapped up in Edmonton (Canada) on 18 June 2009. 600 delegates from 57 countries came together for the five-day, triennial conference to learn about local sustainability initiatives making a global difference.

“Half the world’s population lives in urban areas, soon to be 75 per cent. We’re already responsible for 75 per cent of CO2 emissions so if we’re going to change the world it’s going to occur at a local level,” said David Cadman, President of ICLEI.

Throughout the Congress a strong sense of unity and agreement was shared amongst ICLEI Members. Members recognized the need for faster and more radical action to advance local sustainability. Due to this, there was wide consensus in ICLEI council sessions to adopt proposals ranging from supporting young municipal leaders to advancing ICLEI’s work in urban biodiversity.  

Cadman challenged the organization to double its membership by the next World Congress, which will take place in 2012, just as it has done in the last three years.  Jeb Brugmann, founder of ICLEI and celebrated urbanist, reflected on the past, present and the exciting future of ICLEI as a growing membership organization.

ICLEI members witnessed a wide range of global scenarios presented by experts such as Mathis Wackernagel, Executive Director of the Global Footprint Network and creator of the Ecological Footprint. They had a chance to discuss how to respond to the urgency of change in smaller focus groups.  Gathering inputs from these focus groups and other meetings, ICLEI will draft a strategic plan for the next six years in the coming months and submit it for review to ICLEI members for due process.

Other ICLEI highlights and accomplishments included the presentation of ‘ICLEI Asia’; a unit that will serve Asian local governments.  The announcement was presented by all four ICLEI offices in Asia and seen as a positive development by the assembled Council. Ten per cent of ICLEI members are in Asia and make up 40% of the region’s population. The planned international conference that will be held next year in Asia will not only consolidate the growth of ICLEI in that region, but it will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of the organization.

ICLEI’s members have again expressed in Edmonton a strong will to include the role of local governments in the next global climate agreement.  They will meet again in large numbers in December 2009 to contribute to the UN Climate Change Conference, which will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The ICLEI movement emerged with a renewed enthusiasm to build a worldwide movement of local governments to achieve tangible improvements in global sustainability.  

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