ICLEI

ICLEI is calling on our network of local and regional governments to achieve climate neutral government operations and infrastructure before mid-century. By advancing towards this target, local and regional governments demonstrate leadership where they have operational control, and can, as a result, spur broader, community-scale action and greater ambition from national governments.

This call originates from the ICLEI Montréal Commitment, our roadmap to sustainable urban development. Through the ICLEI Montréal Commitment, ICLEI challenges local and regional governments to tackle climate change through a systems approach, following five interconnected pathways towards low emission, nature-based, resilient, circular and equitable development.

Through the low emission pathway, local and regional governments step up to achieve climate neutrality and deliver on global climate goals. Our vision of climate neutrality is a holistic process that includes ambitious climate change mitigation and adaptation at home and additional contributions to global climate processes and mechanisms.

Here are four key steps that cities and regions can take towards climate neutrality.

Step 1: Go low-to-no with 100 percent renewables

The Australian Capital Territory committed to 100 percent renewable electricity by 2020. This is one key step towards achieving climate neutrality at the community scale by 2045.

Step 2: Divest

New York City will divest its pension fund valued at over USD $190 billion pension fund from fossil fuels, effectively leading the global divestment movement and taking a critical step towards their target to become climate neutral by 2050.

Step 3: Invest

Through sustainable public procurement, cities such as Cape Town are investing in solutions that drive climate mitigation and adaptation action. Cape Town has retrofitted all traffic lights in the city with LEDs to increase energy efficiency, and is implementing a fleet of electric buses as part of an effort to green public transport and city fleet vehicles.