Dear Members, Partners and Friends of ICLEI,

We are pleased to send you the latest news on ICLEI in Europe and our partners for urban sustainability!
You can also read these news and find more information on the topics at www.iclei-europe.org

Don't hesitate to send your news and information at information.services@iclei.org

( If this newsletter does not display properly, please click here: http://www.iclei-europe.org/index.php?id=6857 )

In this issue:

1. ICLEI hits the 1000 member mark
2. ICLEI member news
3. Cities contribute to UN Climate Change Conference in Poland
4. Sustainability, Competitiveness and Identity in Tourism Destinations
5. European Fair Trade Procurement on the move
6. Bringing real, sustainable change onto the market with Procura+
7. Outcomes of the EU - Asia Solid Waste Management Conference
8. European Waste Reduction Week: reduce, re-use and recycle! 
9. Working towards a common agenda for mobility in cities and regions at the Polis Conference
10. European Development Days 2008
11. "City for Children" Award
12. New Events 
13. Event reminders

1. ICLEI hits the 1000 member mark

ICLEI’s membership has reached the 1000 mark, thus doubling since 2007 - a remarkable rate of growth.

ICLEI now represents over 420 million people worldwide, with 100 of its members boasting populations of one million or more. In Europe, more than 180 local governments and their associations are members of ICLEI, amongst them 15 European capital cities.

The 1000 figure was reached with the addition of the city of Mumbai (India). The announcement was made official at the World Urban Forum, which took place at the beginning of November in Nanjing (China).

Learn more about ICLEI membership here.

2. ICLEI member news

Watercycle Project in Croatian cities

3. Cities contribute to UN Climate Change Conference in Poland

Local governments will offer national governments their partnership to limit global warming when nations gather at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Poznan (Poland) on 1-12 December 2008 to negotiate a new global climate agreement.

Municipal representatives will present their message at the Local Government Climate Sessions from 9 to 11 December in Poznan (Poland). As the closest government level to citizens, municipal leaders can accelerate behavioural change within their community and can drive and implement effective actions.

Since 2007, cities have mirrored the UN Climate Roadmap in a process called the "Local Government Climate Roadmap" driven, among others, by ICLEI. They advocate for a comprehensive post-2012 climate agreement, which will determine the next phase of what is currently the Kyoto Protocol.

4. Sustainability, Competitiveness and Identity in Tourism Destinations

For more information, visit http://conferenzats2008.provincia.rimini.it.

5. European Fair Trade Procurement on the move

The number of European cities engaged in purchasing Fair Trade products is growing. When it comes to including Fair Trade in public tenders, the Mediterranean countries in the EU are clearly leading. One of the most impressive initiatives is currently the "Fair Canteen Services" Campaign launched by the Italian organisation Ctm Altromercato which succeeded in convincing more than 150 Italian cities to ask for Fair Trade products in their public procurement actions for canteen services in schools.

The Italian campaign was one of the initiatives presented at the "Public Affairs" project partner meeting held at Peschiera del Garda (Italy) on 5 November. ICLEI’s European Secretariat is one of several partners in the project consortium led by the European Fair Trade Association (EFTA).

For more information, please contact Peter Defranceschi.
To learn more on how to purchase Fair Trade products,
visit www.buyfair.org.

6. Bringing real, sustainable change onto the market with Procura+

For more information on Procura⁺, visit www.procuraplus.org.

7. Outcomes of the EU - Asia Solid Waste Management Conference

The event was part of the EU-Asia Sustainable Waste Management Cycle, a project supported by the Asia Pro-Eco Programme of the European Commission and promoted, among others, by ICLEI.

For more information, visit www.ea-swmc.org.

8. European Waste Reduction Week: reduce, re-use and recycle!

In preparation of the first official European Waste Reduction Week, scheduled for 2009, a pilot edition took place from 22 November to 30 November. Some pioneering cities and regions created momentum by organising a variety of innovative awareness-raising actions.

The week is organised in the framework of an EU LIFE+ project by the French Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME) with ACR+ and the regions of Brussels, Catalonia and Porto as partners.

ICLEI supports the Waste Reduction Week and efforts towards a more sustainable approach to waste – reduce, re-use and recycle!

For more information, visit www.acrplus.org/wastereductionweek_pilot2008.

9. Working towards a common agenda for mobility in cities and regions at the Polis Conference

Decision makers at local, national and EU level, transport professionals from public authorities, transport industry players, researchers and other stakeholders interested in tackling congestion and climate change gathered together at the 2008 annual Polis Conference on 25- 26 November in ICLEI member city Barcelona.

For more information, visit www.polis-online.org.

10. European Development Days 2008

The 2008 edition of the European Development Days, a major European Commission's event, was organised on 15-17 November in Strasbourg (France).

Bringing together all actors from Europe and Partners involved in development, the European Development Days serve as a natural platform for debating the major issues of development cooperation and launching new initiatives.

At the centre of the discussions this year was the local dimension of development cooperation and implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. Among a wide range of initiatives, the launching ceremony of the European Charter on development cooperation in support of local governance took place and the New European Platform of Local Authorities for Development Cooperation was officially launched.

For more information, visit www.eudevdays.eu.

11. "City for Children" Award

If your city is running an exemplary child and youth-friendly project, then participate in the European Award of Excellence "City for Children", granted for the first year ever by the European "Cities for Children" network.

All European cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants are invited to join and to send their applications by 15 December 2008.

The awards will be presented to successful applicants at a festive evening event attended by personalities from politics, industry and society on 29 June 2009 in Stuttgart (Germany). The prize-winning cities will be invited to deliver a presentation of their successful projects as part of the 3rd Annual Conference of the Network Cities for Children from 29 to 30 June 2009.
 

For more information, visit www.citiesforchildren.eu.

12. New events

"In the eye of the storm: Councils at the heart of tackling climate change" Conference, 21-22 January 2009, Manchester (United Kingdom)

"In the eye of the storm: Councils at the heart of tackling climate change" is the title of a conference and exhibition taking place in Manchester (United Kingdom) on 21 – 22 January 2009.

The focus of the conference will be on opportunities and challenges in reducing emissions under the new performance framework for monitoring and regulating local governments. The programme will include interactive debates as well as practical workshops which will equip participants with ideas, tools and contacts.

The conference is organised by ICLEI member Local Government Association (LGA), and Energy Saving Trust (EST), ICLEI partners in the Nottingham Declaration Partnership.

For more information on the conference,visit www.lga.gov.uk/lga/events/events-list.do.

13. Event reminders

The ICLEI in Europe newsletter is produced by the European Secretariat of ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability. Copies are available on request. Editors: Stefan Kuhn (responsible), Ciara Leonard, Gloria Spezzano.

Comments and questions are welcome - please write to Gloria Spezzano at <link />information.services@iclei.org, Leopoldring 3, 79098 Freiburg, Germany,Tel: +49-761/36 89 2-0, <link />www.iclei-europe.org

ICLEI is a membership organisation of local governments and their associations. To date more than 1000 municipalities and municipal associations of all sizes from around the world have made a unique commitment to sustainable development by joining ICLEI. They support the work of ICLEI through their membership fees as well as through their experience and creativity in the development and implementation of projects and campaigns to address the globe's biggest problems. Within the organisation they are part of a network of peers that can profit from each other's knowledge. For membership information please have a look at our website or contact: <link />membership.services@iclei.org

Copyright 2008 ICLEI European Secretariat GmbH, Freiburg, Germany. All rights reserved.