Since 2008, ICLEI’s Cities Biodiversity Center (CBC) has convened successive summits as official parallel events to the Conference on Biological Diversity COP, to enable local and subnational governments engagement. These Summits have resulted in strong political outcomes, including the Quintana Roo (2016) and Sharm El-Sheikh (2018) Communiques, Nagoya Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity (2011 – 2020), adopted at COP 10 in 2010, and of many decisions on local and subnational governments. Through these outcomes, ICLEI CBC has shaped a global policy environment that supports local and regional governments in their efforts to scale up and mainstream nature in sustainable urban development worldwide. ICLEI has also developed a dedicated website for local and subnational governments to advance the Action Agenda for Nature and People and the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and holds monthly informational webinars. The CBC supports the work of CitiesWithNature.

ICLEI supports the Clean Energy Living Laboratories (CELLs) and the Project Management Office, especially on local government engagement. ICLEI works with demonstration cities to mainstream a local energy plan and assists the CELLs in developing a curriculum for an executive education program targeting policymakers and stakeholders and support advocacy activities.

ICLEI facilitates City-to-City Exchange activities, conducting workshops to capacitate selected demonstration cities, and linking the cities to possible funding sources. The workshops are aimed to help the demonstration cities in actualizing their local energy plans. ASEP-CELLs’ emphasis on advocating, educating and supporting evidence-based policies and programs is expected to improve the learning conditions and experiences among stakeholders and champions.

The SPIPA program supports our efforts within Australia and seeks to explore alignment and synergies with other national and subnational programs and offer a unified climate action methodology and reporting structure. The SPIPA Initiative provides a final report that may be used as a pathway for partnership describing the various roles of stakeholders and the possible role they could take in governance, leadership, program development, support, advocacy, funding and technical capacity related to the Global Covenant of Mayors. ICLEI Oceania has completed the consultation and development of strategic reports for direction setting. This has provided the pathway