A global knowledge hub anchored in local realities
The carbonn Climate Center, hosted by the ICLEI World Secretariat in Bonn, Germany, is the engine of technical excellence and connectivity behind ICLEI’s global climate work. The carbonn Climate Center translates ICLEI’s five pathways - zero emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient, and circular development - into practical, integrated climate action. Guided by ICLEI’s São Paulo Strategic Vision 2024 – 2030, we assist local and regional governments in aligning ambition, planning, and implementation across these pathways. We offer integrated, real-world solutions that support local and regional governments, regardless of size, geography, or capacity, at every stage of their climate journey.
-
Experience
15 years of working with local and regional governments
-
Comprehensiveness
Helping local and regional governments to address all aspects of climate mitigation and adaptation
-
Transparency
Our tools and offerings help local and regional governments better benchmark their success
-
Guidance
Local and regional governments can access customized services, training and technical assistance
Our Impact
ICLEI’s carbonn Climate Center empowers local and regional governments to measure, manage and advance transformative climate solutions that deliver real results. From carbon accounting to clean energy planning, from climate finance to urban innovation, we turn knowledge into local impact. With over 200 expert staff across 26 offices worldwide, we have the passion and expertise to make it easier for local leaders to improve quality of life, safeguard livelihoods, and prepare and address the challenges and opportunities they are facing today and in the future.
actively reporting to CDP-ICLEI Track, demonstrating leadership and transparency
Since 2019, Transformative Actions Program (TAP) has developed a portfolio of 508 projects, providing tailored feedback to 454 projects and 39 successfully obtaining technical or financial support, mobilizing an estimated €1.9 billion in investment needs.
ICLEI’s carbonn Climate Center is active in 125+ countries and serves 2500+ subnational and local governments representing over 1 billion people, equivalent to about 12–13% of the total world population, or about 20–25% of the world’s urban population.
Over 450 ongoing activities supporting our zero-emission development pathway around the world
Our Global Offering
Rooted in ICLEI’s GreenClimateCities (GCC) Program, we offer local and regional governments a proven process methodology, tested by the cities engaged in the Urban-LEDS project, for walking step-by-step towards climate neutrality, based on our Climate Neutrality Framework. With over 200 expert staff across 26 offices worldwide, we offer integrated, real-world solutions that support local and regional governments, regardless of size, geography, or capacity, at every stage of their climate journey. From carbon accounting to clean energy planning, from climate finance to urban innovation, we turn knowledge into local impact.
The carbonn Climate Center brings together science, practice, and policy to help urban leaders:
-
Get a deeper understanding
Understand their climate reality through analysis, assessments, inventories, monitoring, and reporting through CDP-ICLEI Track.
-
Find practical solutions
Identify practical solutions through access to ICLEI’s tools and methodologies and case studies including ClearPath, HEAT+, and CURB.
-
Access finance and partnerships
Mobilize finance and partnerships through support with pipeline-ready project development and access to climate finance through the Transformative Actions Program (TAP).
-
Elevate cities' voices
Advocate for local leadership globally through representation in key platforms and coalitions like the UNFCCC, the NDC Partnership, Global Covenant of Mayors and the IPCC process.
“From our base in Bonn, Germany, a UN city and beacon of sustainability leadership, the carbonn Climate Center connects local expertise with global impact every day. Our close ties to the international climate community here in Bonn, along with our deep technical knowledge and trusted partnerships worldwide, help us meet cities and regions where they are and support them in delivering measurable climate action. This is how we bridge ambition and implementation, strengthening local action to accelerate global progress.”
Meet our partners
Our work is made possible through partnerships with key organizations and generous support from funders who believe in the power of local action to address global challenges. We work with local and regional governments across all continents, national governments looking to unlock community-level impact, financing institutions and donors seeking investable projects, private sector and NGOs ready to innovate for shared value, and global climate and development coalitions that need on-the-ground insight.
