ICLEI

ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability

Type	International organization
Industry	Sustainable Development at the local level
Founded	1990, New York City, U.S.
Headquarters	Kaiser-Friedrich-Str. 7, 53113 Bonn, Germany
Number of employees	approximately 200 (worldwide)
Website	www.iclei.org

ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, founded in 1990 as the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, is an international association of local governments and national and regional local government organizations that have made a commitment to sustainable development.

The association was established when more than 200 local governments from 43 countries convened at its inaugural conference, the World Congress of Local Governments for a Sustainable Future, at the United Nations in New York in September 1990. Today, more than 1200 cities, towns, counties, and their associations in 84 countries comprise ICLEI's growing membership. ICLEI works with these and hundreds of other local governments through international performance-based, results-oriented campaigns and programs. It provides technical consulting, training, and information services to build capacity, share knowledge, and support local government in the implementation of sustainable development at the local level. ICLEI's basic premise is that locally designed initiatives can provide an effective and cost-efficient way to achieve local, national, and global sustainability objectives.

ICLEI includes 1,227 local government members worldwide in 70 countries, with more than 600 in the United States. ICLEI USA membership grew by 58% in 2008 and by 25% in 2009. U.S. local government members include cities, towns, and counties of all sizes, from New York City and Los Angeles County to Dubuque, Iowa and Arlington, Texas.

The only requirements for ICLEI membership are a self-defined commitment to climate protection and the payment of annual membership dues based on population size.

ICLEI was founded in 1990, with its World Secretariat headquartered in Toronto, Canada. The U.S. office opened formally in 1995. ICLEI USA’s Executive Office is based in Washington, D.C. and the World Secretariat is in Bonn, Germany.

ICLEI was founded in 1990 as the “International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives.” But in 2003, ICLEI's local government members voted to revise the organization's mission, charter and name to better reflect the current challenges local governments face, and the broader topic of sustainability. The “International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives” became “ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability,” which remains its official name.