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ICLEI e-News | issue 12, August 2008

We start this issue with an introductory word from Mr. Konrad Otto-Zimmermann, ICLEI Secretary General. Following his thoughts on the development of ICLEI, we invite you to read the latest news from ICLEI and its Members worldwide.

Enjoy,

Jean-Olivier Dalphond, ICLEI International Web Editor, web.editor@iclei.org

A word from the Secretary General Konrad Otto-Zimmermann

Greetings from Basel, Switzerland where I have joined the celebration of Basel as ICLEI’s 900th Member! I have presented a certificate to Governing President Dr. Guy Morin and President of the Building Department Barbara Schneider to acknowledge this event for both ICLEI and Basel.

Celebrating the 900th municipal Member is quite a milestone for our association. We have been experiencing a remarkable growth, and while we are not striving for mere quantity, the fact that more and more local governments decide to join the movement and seek inspiration and guidance from us, justifies pride.

We are not simply “collecting Members” as others collect stamps. We want Members who have ambitious goals, who engage, who seek to further improve their sustainability performance through cooperation and benchmarking across borders. We are happy for Members who have lessons and best practices to share, who do not rest but continue to undertake cutting-edge initiatives. Basel is certainly one of those cities.

ICLEI partners with Global Energy Basel, a new platform for the promotion of integrated energy solutions. We will work with interested Member local governments and facilitate their engagement with partners from the business and expert sectors at the annual GEB events. These local governments wishing to advance integrated projects in their cities will form an Energy Smart Cities network that complements the existing Local Renewables Model Communities network. A discussion with the GEB mastermind Daniel Wiener from ECOS for which I joined our program manager Monika Zimmermann over lunch rounded the visit to Basel up.

On this bright summer day I will now take advantage of Basel’s location at the River Rhine and make my return trip to Freiburg (Germany) as a 70-kilometer bicycle tour along the Rhine, which forms the border between France and Germany. In Freiburg, the location of our International Training Center and European Secretariat, I will be awaited by colleagues to discuss the upcoming assembly of the Global Alliance for EcoMobility as well as the Symposium on the Local Government position on a future UN post-2012 climate agreement that our Member City of Geneva (Switzerland) will be hosting in October.

The months until year-end will be extremely busy. My itinerary from now will bring me to my office in Toronto (Canada), to Friedrichshafen (Germany) for the EcoMobility Alliance assembly, to Tianjin (China) for the World Economic Forum’s new champions meeting, to Barcelona (Spain) for the IUCN World Congress, to Milan (Italy) for the OECD’s Competitive Cities and Climate Change conference, to Geneva (Switzerland) for the Climate Roadmap Symposium, to Nanjing (China) for UN-HABITAT’s World Urban Forum IV, to Dubai (U.A.E.) for the Global Agenda Council Summit, the Basel for Global Energy Basel, and finally to Poznan (Poland) for the UN Climate Conference COP-14. – This agenda reflects our intensified partnerships and increasing outreach. My colleagues and I are working hard to increase opportunities for effective local action.

Best wishes,

Signature Mr. Otto-Zimmermann

Konrad Otto-Zimmermann

General News
Pictures Basel Joins ICLEI
City of Basel (Switzerland) welcomed as ICLEI’s 900th Member
August 21, 2008
ICLEI’s membership has grown from 500 to 900 Members in 66 countries in two years, and it continues to grow worldwide. Hamburg (Germany), Darwin (Australia), Albuquerque, NM and Rockland Country, NY (USA) have joined Basel as 898th to 902nd Members.  [Full]
Konrad Otto-Zimmermann
World Economic Forum nominates ICLEI Secretary-General to new Global Agenda Council on Urban Management
 August 01, 2008
The World Economic Forum is launching Global Agenda Councils to have a major impact on shaping the global agenda. Mr. Konrad Otto-Zimmermann will join 15 to 30 of the world’s leading experts on Urban Management and contribute to this effort. [Full]
UNEP
ICLEI develops UNEP Sustainable Procurement guidelines for IT equipment
 June 23, 2008
The guidelines support the United Nations (UN) procurement activities to become sustainable by end of 2009. They are designed to support both UN requisitioners and procurers to purchase computers, notebooks, displays and imaging equipment that meets high environmental and social standards. [Full]

International Local Government GHG Emissions Analysis Protocol
June 18, 2008
ICLEI is pleased to present Realase version 1.0 of the GHG emissions Analysis protocol. The International Protocol consists of the general principles and philosophy that any local government, regardless of location, should adhere to when inventorying GHGs from its internal operations and community ... [Full]
Sao Paolo ICLEI
Sustainable construction promoted by seven capitals in South America
 June 11, 2008
ICLEI’s Project Office in Brazil received funding for the project “Promoting Sustainable Construction Policies in South America” from the British Government. This project targets the construction sector exploring solutions to reduce building-related emissions in South America. [Full]

Member News
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Publications and Resources
Biodiversity case series
At UN Biodiversity Conference ICLEI presents 14 cases of local action for biodiversity
May 26, 2008
The “Local Action for Biodiversity Cities & Biodiversity Case Series” was compiled on the occasion of the Mayors Conference Local Action for Biodiversity (26-28 May 2008), held in parallel to the 9th Conference of the Parties of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in May 2008 in Bonn, Germany.... [Full]
Stavros Dimas
European Commission launches a Training Toolkit on Green Public Procurement prepared by ICLEI
May 06, 2008
The toolkit developed by ICLEI is designed to provide any European public authority with advice and information on the straightforward implementation of Green Public Procurement [Full]

Upcoming Events
Global Energy Basel
New platform to establish partnerships for sustainable energy solutions
 August 13, 2008
At Global Energy Basel, cities and local governments will find partners for sustainable infrastructure and urban development projects. [Full]
EcoProcura 2009
EcoProcura 2009 Conference in Reykjavik – Call for Contributions
 August 05, 2008
Climate Neutral through Procurement, Reykjavik, Iceland, 25-27 March 2009. Institutions and individuals working towards climate neutral products and services are invited to respond to this Call for Contributions.  [Full]

Past Events
Sustainable Tourism in South Korea
 August 18, 2008
ICLEI Korea Office in August 2008 organised "The Forum for Global Sustainable Tourism". Over 300 attendees joined the discussion held in the island of Jeju-do, a favorite tourism destination in Eastern Asia. [Full]
ICLEI USA: Local Action Summit 2008
 June 27, 2008
Experience. Leadership. Solutions. The ICLEI U.S.A. Local Action Summit 2008 took place in Albuquerque (New Mexico, U.S.A.) on 14-16 May 2008. [Full]
ICLEI European Membership Convention - Zaragoza 2008
 May 21, 2008
"More than hot air – Local Action on Climate Change" highlights that global warming effects require not only declarations but action. Through the European Membership Convention 2008, ICLEI seeks to encourage and prepare its Members to drastically cut carbon emission levels and to reshape our cities,... [Full]

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