What does ICLEI (pronounced ICK-LY) stand for? International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. It was created as a non-governmental spin-off by the United Nations in 1990 to implement Agenda 21 locally across the world. It is a membership organization for cities; 7,807 worldwide as of 2012.
Headquartered in Bonn, Germany, it is a lobbying and policy group that is intended to influence and change local governmental policies related to all aspects of human life. It designs and sells systems that monitor, report, and control water and energy usage. This information is then shared.
By concentrating power in cities this group circumvents requirements for ratification of international treaties and gives the illusion of local control. ICLEI is structured as a parallel government but has no transparency because it is a private non-profit.
In fact the cities then ally in regional conglomerates which break jurisdictional boundaries and will destroy local control. These regional boards are unelected and not answerable to the citizenry.
Ultimately this facilitates global governance by invalidating individual cities, counties, states, and nations with agreements and interwoven systems to which they are bound by contract: public private partnerships.
SEE THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE FOR DETAILS ON ICLEI DIRECTOR'S ALLEGED CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN AWARDING AN $83,000 CONTRACT TO ICLEI WHILE SHE WAS A SONOMA COUNTY SUPERVISOR.
Why don't you hear about this at your city council or county supervisor meetings? Is it possible that only a core group in each locale know about it? Don't be fooled. You can check the membership list to see if your municipality is a member, but it's likely that ICLEI has tentacles into your town even if you don't see it on the list (this is an old 2008 list--the most recent one ICLEI will let you see.) ICLEI funds trainings, issues guidelines, consults with communities, sets goals, and measures progress. ICLEI is the implementation arm of UN Agenda 21/Sustainable Development. ICLEI fragments into and influences so-called local groups that pressure your government for more regulations. ICLEI blurs the lines between public and private, between governmental and non-governmental.
Greenhouse gas emissions are being tracked, measured, and logged by ICLEI. Carbon offset trading, greenhouse gas emission goals, and legal statutes are designed and regulated by ICLEI.
There is a growing movement to KICK ICLEI OUT of towns across the US. Spokane, Washington has a ballot initiative in the works that will change their city charter to remove ICLEI and prohibit the city from UN-affiliated group membership if it passes. PRINT OUR FLYERS TO KICK ICLEI OUT (pdf) Use this one if your CITY is a member Use this one if your COUNTY is a member There is such a sense of nervous panic in ICLEI's description of its mission, as if it's almost too late to implement their plans. But they are being implemented, at an alarming rate.
NEARLY 8,000 MEMBERS WORLDWIDE--Cities containing over 1 billion people
Well, ICLEI has pulled the map of the world with their members on it from their Rio+20 site. ICLEI also pulled the list of worldwide members (about 8,000 cities) from their Rio+20 site. The page says that now that Rio+20 is over there's no need for it. They do still have the old site (most recent info is 2008) up online. This old list shows 1,200 members worldwide. The actual membership has gone up SIX times in a few years. Click here for a screen shot of a portion of the membership list that we captured before they took the page down.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE MAP OF ICLEI MEMBERS WORLD-WIDE---IT'S SHOCKING (CLICK HERE) Well, it was shocking. It's gone now--the page is down. But they showed all of the members as blue dots and it was like a plague on the world. That's a piece of it up above, showing Europe. ICLEI'S 2011 World Charter states that it 'will promote and ask its members to adopt' the Earth Charter...a green mask.
The following is from ICLEI's website: At Rio+20 we launched the GreenClimateCities initiative and, together with partners, the Global Initiative on Urban Resilience. We have been encouraged by Rio+20 to continue driving the sustainable cities agenda. Rio+20 has reinvigorated our strategy of supporting cities on the pathway to becoming resilient, resource efficient, biodiverse and low-carbon, to turn their urban economy green and build smart infrastructure, with the ultimate goal of ensuring a healthy & happy community. ICLEI presents 8 agendas for rapid and radical action
ICLEI is a powerful movement of 12 mega-cities, 100 super-cities, 450 large cities and urban regions as well as 650 small and medium-sized cities and towns in 80 countries.
The pace of global environmental change, the trends of degradation within global ecosystem services and the overshoot of the human footprint on Earth require an acceleration of local efforts. Experts confirm what all of us feel: We must act more rapidly and pursue more radical solutions ICLEI is set to support its Member cities and local governments in working towards sustainability.
ICLEI promotes local action for global sustainability and supports cities to become sustainable, resilient, resource-efficient, biodiverse, low-carbon; to build a smart infrastructure; and to develop an inclusive, green urban economy. The ultimate aim is to achieve healthy and happy communities.
We have developed stable, long-term programs to support local-level sustainability and continue to develop innovative new programs to respond to issues of international concern. ICLEI’s work pursues 8 agendas designed to support Member cities and local governments in their efforts towards sustainability.
Resource Efficient Cities
Resource-efficient cities will gain competitive advantage in an era of shrinking global resources coupled with global and urban population growth. However, efficiency gains through urban density are thwarted by billions of people adopting resource-consumptive urban lifestyles. Cities, if wanting to be future-proof, need to go beyond minimizing the use of natural resources and become productive systems.
ICLEI offers:
Programs such as Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM), Green Growth Cities and networks such as Food Smart Cities
Capacity building as well as systems – esp. ecoBudget® – and tools for managing local natural resources such as land and soil, water, fauna & flora and biodiversity, food, nutrients, minerals, materials, energy
ICLEI triennial World Congress and regional conventions
Sustainable City How cities perform will impact not just the living conditions of the over six billion people who will be living in cities in the year 2050, but also the condition of ecosystems and economy globally. More and more cities are accelerating efforts to becoming a true “eco-city, “green city” or “sustainable city”.
ICLEI offers:
Leadership in the Local Agenda 21 movement for participatory governance
Networks such as the global Eco-cities Network
Capacity building
Systems and tools for sustainability management, e.g. ecoBudget®
Advocacy on behalf of local governments
ICLEI triennial World Congress and regional conventions
Green Urban Economy
The way we produce, distribute, purchase, use and consume determines the stability of ecosystems and sustainability of human civilization on Earth. Green, inclusive urban economies based on cradle-to- cradle material cycles and an appreciation of human labor over energy-intensive technology will make a difference. Sustainable procurement will drive the market green, create green jobs, and support future-oriented industries.
ICLEI offers:
A Green Urban Economy strategy
Local Action for Employment processes, engaging stakeholders in the development of job creation and green job strategies
Sustainable Procurement program through ICLEI’s Sustainable Procurement Center, regional secretariats and country offices
ICLEI guidance and technical advice on hosting green events
ICLEI triennial World Congress and regional conventions
Smart Urban Infrastructure
A city’s eco-efficient, resilient and low-carbon development requires smart urban infrastructure which, in turn depends on smart systems design. Cities must look beyond single technologies and at the variety of urban infrastructures, identifying possible efficiency gains through linkages between different infrastructures, new operational and business models, as well as financing models.
ICLEI offers:
ICLEI’s Local Renewables Center, regional secretariats and country offices inform Members about regionally specific Local Renewables programs
Annual, international Local Renewables conference in Freiburg
In partnership with the Green Building Councils and UNEP, ICLEI offers cities technical advice on green buildings and sustainable construction
An annual Resilient Building & Construction Forum in Bonn, Germany
Join the EcoMobility Alliance
Biennial EcoMobility world congress
Annual resilient Urban Logistics Forum in Bonn, Germany
Resilient City
Sustainable cities must be low-risk and resilient cities: resilient to disaster, climate change, economic shocks and any unforeseen events. Resilience building involves reducing exposure to risk and vulnerability while increasing resistance and robustness and ensuring emergency preparedness.
ICLEI offers:
A range of Resilient Cities/Communities or climate adaptation programs tailored to regional conditions
The annual Resilient Cities global forum on urban resilience and adaptation in Bonn
Cities are invited to sign the Durban Adaptation Charter expressing their commitment to climate change adaptation action
The Mayors Adaptation Forum in Bonn convened by the World Mayors Council
Cities may also join the “Making cities resilient: My city is getting ready” campaign of UN-ISDR with ICLEI and other partners
Low Carbon City Low-carbon, low-emission or even carbon-neutral cities, are the signposts to sustainability. Cities account for 70-80% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, an effective international climate agreement must include a focus on urban greenhouse gas reduction. Cities and local governments, however, must not wait for an international agreement to be reached but should act ambitiously and rapidly.
ICLEI offers:
Global Cities Covenant on Climate (Mexico City Pact)
Bonn Center for Local Climate Action and Reporting (carbonn®) operates the carbonn Cities Climate Registry
GreenClimateCities program guides cities through a process of analysis, target-setting, programming, identifying finance, implementation, monitoring and reporting
HEAT+ online tool is available for cities to account for their greenhouse gas emissions
ICLEI actively advocates local climate action, local governments as partners in global climate governance, bottom-up finance mechanisms and local government access to climate finance
Biodiverse City
Ecosystem-based local planning and management is an increasingly essential component of the future sustainable city. The manifold benefits derived from ecosystem-based goods and services underpin most local economies and provide cost-effective and sustainable essential services and green jobs to municipalities and their communities. ICLEI Members define the cutting edge of ecosystem-based planning and management and become biodiverse cities.
ICLEI offers:
Cities Biodiversity Center, regional secretariats and country offices enables cities, local and sub-national governments worldwide to commit to biodiversity action
Local Action for Biodiversity (LAB) Pioneer Project, a partnership initiative with IUCN and others, that is the entry level of choice for cities to join over 50 leading cities and local governments on all continents
URBIS Network and the various BiodiverCities projects run at country and regional
Healthy and Happy Communities
Ultimately cities strive to ensure that their local community enjoys health and happiness and good quality of life. Whether on a modest or more affluent economic footing, local governments must promote community vitality, health, peace, safety, education, culture, and good governance. Local governments can take advantage of 20 years of ICLEI leadership and experience in promoting participatory governance and sustainable development planning for healthy and happy communities.
ICLEI offers:
ICLEI offers opportunities for Members to develop a local “happiness index” on the route “beyond GDP”
Members concerned about public health and safety may seek guidance through ICLEI’s support Safe & Healthy Communities program
The Local Agenda for Peace and Security gives support to members in crisis-stricken regions or those with a community suffering from violence who incorporate a just and peaceful community in their sustainable development plans
KEEP READING--DON'T QUIT NOW GET DOWN TO THE WATER AGREEMENT ICLEI: Connecting Leaders Connect. Innovate. Accelerate. Solve. The pace of global environmental change, the degradation of ecosystem services globally and the overshoot of the human footprint on Earth require an acceleration of local efforts. Even if all 1,100+ local governments forming ICLEI's membership performed in the most advanced manner, and if we were to extrapolate these efforts into the future, those valiant efforts alone would not reach a sustainable level of resource consumption and pollution in communities - better known as the ecological footprint of cities.
Experts confirm what all of us feel: We must act more rapidly and collaboratively and strive for more radical solutions
To accelerate action, ICLEI invites to the table leaders from a wide array of sectors who all have a stake in urban sustainability: Local governments, regional and national governments, international agencies, financing institutions, non-profits, academia and the business community.
They are mayors and entrepreneurs, scientists and agency heads, ministers and CEOs, strategists and organizational leaders. They are innovators, decision makers, agenda setters and agents of change.
Unlocking the Secret to Solutions: The Power of a Networking Platform To establish the relationships, partnerships and synergies that will unleash the creativity and innovation needed to meet local and global sustainability goals, ICLEI implements a range of strategies. A snapshot of the ways in which ICLEI connects leaders:
Connect cities and local governments to the United Nations and other international bodies. ICLEI represents local governments at the United Nations (UN) Commission on Sustainable Development, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Conventions on Biodiversity and Combating Desertification and co-operates with the UN Environment Programme and UN-HABITAT.
Forge multi-stakeholder partnerships such as Resilient Cities, a global framework on urban resilience and climate adaptation where local governments, international agencies, development banks, ministries, institutes, and others, collaborate.
Form strategic alliances like the Global Alliance for EcoMobility which brings leading global actors from the business, governmental, user and expert sectors together to promote walking, cycling and use of public transport.
Join forces with the business sector, including engagement in the World Economic Forum's SlimCity initiative and participation at the Forum's Global Agenda Council on the Future of Cities.
Unite cities and foster solutions through pilot projects. Fourteen cities pioneered ICLEI's climate action planning methods in the early 1990s, and a group of local governments formed the Local Agenda 21 Model Communities Project in the mid-1990s. Following their lead, ICLEI convened leading local governments to lay the groundwork for the Sustainable Procurement program, cultivated a group of Local Renewables Model Communities, and formed networks of pilot cities for Local Action for Biodiversity, Climate Resilientsustainability planning and many more ground-breaking endeavours. Communities,
Convene World Congresses that bring the members of our network together for an exchange on solutions and successes, including 2000 in Dessau (Germany), 2003 in Athens (Greece), 2006 in Cape TownEdmonton (Canada) and 2010 in Incheon(South Korea). (South Africa), 2009 in
Connect political leaders to advance advocacy, as with the World Mayors Council on Climate Change. This alliance of committed municipal leaders advocates for governments and international bodies to enhance their recognition of local governments as key actors in addressing climate change.
DID YOU MAKE IT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE? CONGRATULATIONS. But that's not all ICLEI does. There are many other programs in place right now, in your town. Have you seen the new Water Agreement? Here it is: What we have copied here for you is the new ICLEI Water Campaign. It started in South East Asia (including Australia) and is headed your way. Of course it sounds so nice. Water is a common good. This is a way to inventory and control all water in the world. To identify all water sources, all wells, water courses, streams, creeks, rivers, lakes etc. and monitor them. Control. Here's the document designed to be signed by your City Council or Board of Supervisors. Will they tell you about it? ICLEI WATER CAMPAIGN LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESOLUTION OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, _______________________, hereby express our interest to be an ICLEI Member and join its programs and campaigns. We RECOGNIZE that water is a common good, a finite resource, a shared common asset and that access to this resource is a basic right. We ENDORSE the aims and objectives of the Water Campaign, a international ICLEI campaign to mobilize local government action to protect and properly manage freshwater resources by establishing partnerships with other concerned sectors and institutions in coming up with integrated plans and programs to manage this resource. We COMMIT to achieve tangible improvements in the sustainable use of freshwater resources. WE THEREFORE PLEDGE to accomplish the following 5 milestones: Milestone 1: Inventory and Forecast direct and indirect impacts on water resources Milestone 2: Establish targets for efficient water access and consumption and improved water quality Milestone 3: Develop and obtain official approval for a local water agenda Milestone 4: Implement policies and measures Milestone 5: Monitor and Report results We THEREFORE PLEDGE to consider the cost arrangements to undertake the Water Campaign. ______________________ ________________________ Signature Name of Local Government ______________________ _________________________ Name and Title Date (please print) Contact Person: Phone: E-mail Address: Fax: Pls. Mail/Fax Original Copy to: ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability Southeast Asia Secretariat The Manila Observatory Bldg., Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City 1101 Philippines Tel. No.(+63 2) 426-5921 to 23 Fax No. (+63 2) 426-0851 Website: www.iclei.org ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability is a membership organization dedicated to building and serving a worldwide movement of local governments to achieve tangible improvements in global sustainability with special focus on environmental conditions through cumulative local actions.
On June 6, 2011, Rosa Koire, Executive Director of The Post Sustainability Institute, reported Sonoma County Supervisor Valerie Brown to the California Fair Political Practices Commission for an alleged conflict of interest. Supervisor Brown, who also serves on the national board of ICLEI-USA, voted to grant an $83,000 no-bid contract to ICLEI for greenhouse gas emissions protocols in Sonoma County. Supervisor Brown did not recuse herself from voting and made no mention of her connection to ICLEI when she voted to enter an $83,000 contract on behalf of her county. The Fair Political Practices Commission, a government ethics agency, has 14 days from the filing date to determine whether or not to launch an investigation (detail of filing on the left and below). UPDATE: The FPPC has notified us that they do not have enough information to open an investigation. We will obtain more information and continue to pursue this.
Provision or Provisions of the Political Reform Act Allegedly Violated: Valerie Brown, Sonoma County Supervisor, voted to pay ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, a private non-profit organization, $83,000 for Community Scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Protocol while she was sitting on the National Board for ICLEI-USA. On November 17, 2009, at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency on which she was a Director, Valerie Brown voted to approve the Agreement between SCWA and ICLEI. The vote was 3-0 with two Directors (Kerns and Carrillo) absent. If Brown had recused herself the vote could not have gone forward with only two Directors present, and the contract would not have had enough votes to be approved. ICLEI-USA has national and international conferences and trainings which Ms. Brown has attended. There is a likelihood of compensation in the form of lodging, meals, honorariums, transportation, etc. Even if Ms. Brown did not receive a direct payment from ICLEI-USA she would have had an interest in seeing ICLEI-USA receive a contract for $83,000. It appears to be a conflict of interest to represent a private non-profit nationally and internationally and then award that same organization a contract from the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. Sonoma County is a dues-paying member to ICLEI-USA.