This year’s international climate negotiations, the COP31, comes at a time when the focus must shift more clearly from commitments to implementation. European cities and regions already play a central role in delivering climate action, but stronger coordination across local, national, EU and global levels is still needed. COP31 is therefore an important moment to show that local and regional governments are not only implementers of policy, but essential partners in shaping and delivering climate solutions.
To help connect international climate negotiations with local realities, ICLEI Europe is also supporting Town Hall COPs across Europe.
Town Hall COPs are community-led local climate dialogues that create space for citizens, civil society, businesses and public authorities to discuss climate priorities, share local solutions, and link these conversations to national and international processes. They are designed to help cities bring global goals home in a way that is practical, inclusive and relevant to people’s daily lives.
The Town Hall COP model is built around the needs and priorities of each community and can be adapted to fit local goals. The key is to organise an inclusive event that empowers local actors to shape climate policy.
The Town Hall COPs are a key opportunity to connect with national climate efforts and strengthen local implementation processes. As countries have submitted their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in 2025, this year represents an additional importance for these dialogues.
The event should focus on local climate action, highlighting the real-world and daily-life connections between climate action and essential community priorities, like health, nature, justice, consumption affordability, jobs, and culture at the local level.
There is a strong case for organising Town Hall COPs in Europe now. Europe is the fastest-warming continent in the world, and climate risks are already affecting people’s health, energy and food security, water resources, infrastructure and local economies. At the same time, public support for climate action remains strong: 85% of Europeans consider climate change a serious problem and 81% support the EU’s goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050.
This year, in a context of growing geopolitical fragmentation, multiple crises and rising energy prices underscoring the consequences of postponing clean transition process, European cities and regions continue to be on the forefront delivering climate action that benefits their communities.
By organising Town Hall COP in Europe this year, local and regional authorities can:
In 2025, more than 50 Town Hall COPs took place across six continents, engaging over 13,000 citizens in meaningful local climate dialogues and making a global impact towards stronger climate action:
COP17 taking place 19-30 October 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia will be a key moment to move from global biodiversity commitments to concrete results and assess progress, with clear relevance for cities and regions facing the impacts of biodiversity loss on health, resilience, and quality of life.
Ahead of and during the Biodiversity COP17, ICLEI Europe will advocate for the full implementation of the whole-of-government approach embedded in the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the Plan of Action, while promoting the Berlin Urban Nature Pact as a key tool for cities and regions to translate global biodiversity commitments into measurable local action.
Look out for key COP17 engagement opportunities co-organised by the ICLEI City Biodiversity Centre (CBC), including a webinar series and additional resources for local and regional authorities. Stay informed, get involved, and access the latest updates below and on the ICLEI CBC website.
Foundations for Local & Subnational Engagement in the CBD: 6 May, 2026, 15:00 CET
ICLEI Europe will guide European cities and regions throughout the design and implementation of their Town Hall COPs by providing various practical materials and capacity-building resources, including:
Ready to get started? Register your European Town Hall COP today!
For more information and support on Town Hall COPs in Europe and engagement in the COP31 and COP17 processes, please contact: [email protected]
