In the face of a changing climate – the impacts of extreme weather, economic uncertainty, and energy insecurity have put our communities all across the country at risk. Extreme weather has become our new reality, with more frequent floods, storms, and heat waves. ICLEI acknowledges this new reality and works with local governments to address it.
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a nonprofit founded in 1990 consisting of local government leaders in forty-three countries. ICLEI provides resources, planning, technical guidance and etc. for their more than 1,000 local government members worldwide to improve their communities. ICLEI-USA has launched a new campaign to begin to prepare our communities against climate impacts – Resilient Communities for America.
Resilient Communities for America looks to build resilient cities and counties. Becoming resilient for local governments means being able bounce back from extreme weather in a way that is sustainable and ensures a good quality of life for everyone. Through the following four pathways, ICLEI’s campaign hopes to ensure successful and strong communities for the future.
1. Prepare for Climate Change and Extreme Weather
2. Expand Renewables and Energy Efficiency
3. Renew and Strengthen Infrastructure
4. Strengthen the Local Economy
In order to achieve these pathways, ICLEI-USA has had fifty-four local government leaders sign the Resilient Communities for America Agreement that will allow these governments access to the resources needed to achieve the climate, energy and resiliency goals. For these various leaders – guidebooks, webinar trainings, case studies, software tools and an “online platform” to share progress and success stories will be provided upon signing the agreement.
Mayors and county leaders from Ann Harbor, MI; Boulder, CO; EL Paso, TX; Hoboken, NJ and many more have signed the agreement to pledge their commitment to strengthening their communities. With partners such as the National League of Cities, World Wildlife Fund, and U.S. Green Building Coalition, ICLEI-USA hopes to secure commitment to address community resilience from 200 local elected official signatories in the first 12 months after the recent campaign launch this June and 1,000 by 2015.
The campaign has launched and is on its way to achiving relisient communities for America’s future.
For more information please view the FAQ about the Campaign or visit the website.
