International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (www.iclei.org)

*International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (www.iclei.org)– the international environmental agency for local governments. Its mission is to build and serve a worldwide movement of local governments to achieve tangible improvements in global environmental and sustainable development conditions through cumulative local actions. Building a worldwide movement requires that ICLEI functions as a democratic, international association of local governments. Serving a worldwide movement requires that ICLEI operates as an international environmental agency for local governments.
More than 350 cities, towns, counties, and their associations worldwide comprise ICLEI’s membership. They and hundreds of other local governments are engaged in ICLEI’s international campaigns and regional projects. Through its campaigns, ICLEI helps local government generate political awareness of key issues, build capacity through technical assistance and training, and evaluate local and cumulative progress toward sustainable development.
ICLEI serves as an information clearinghouse on sustainable development by providing policy guidance, training and technical assistance, and consultancy services to increase local governments’ capacity to address global challenges.
ICLEI, a democratic association of local governments, serves as an advocate for local government before national and international bodies in order to increase understanding and support for local environmental protection and sustainable development activities. ICLEI maintains a formal association with the International Union of Local Authorities (IULA) and has official consultative status with the UN, through which it advocates the interests of local government before international bodies.