Daring Cities aims to accelerate responses to the climate emergency by building on the momentum and experiences gained over the past year. The forum is conceived as a platform to inform local, subnational, and national efforts, as well as global processes by strengthening partnerships, building capacity, and enhancing knowledge exchange. The outcomes of these exchanges are disseminated to further crucial gatherings and events throughout Urban October, before feeding into advocacy efforts at UNFCCC COP.
The framework of Daring Cities 2024 is anchored in three pivotal cornerstones: Reflect, Exchange and Advocate
This new addition represents the transitional period that connects the previous Daring Cities edition to the one taking place next. Adding this cornerstone ensures a smooth transition, especially focusing on how last year’s UNFCCC COP outcomes align with the version of Daring Cities following it, and preparing the Daring Cities leaders for the upcoming events.
Over the course of several months, with in-person and online components, high level participants and technical experts speak on engaging and relevant climate-related topics. This includes diverse, global perspectives from compelling urban leaders who have implemented bold climate action in their cities, towns and regions as a response to the climate crisis. We offer a variety of sessions across all time zones, as well as a diverse array of engagement and networking options.
The Daring Cities 2024 Bonn Dialogues, held from June 3 to June 5, 2024, facilitated rich in-person discussions. Meanwhile, the Daring Cities 2024 Virtual Forum brings together panelists and participants from around the world for virtual exchanges from August to October 2024.
Advocate begins each October, when those interested in sustainable urbanization from national and local governments to universities, NGOs, and communities are encouraged to hold or participate in a multitude of activities around the globe as a part of Urban October. It is an opportunity for everyone to be part of the conversation about the challenges and opportunities created by the fast rate of change in our cities and towns and thus offers a rich agenda in the urban sustainability space. From the Innovate4Cities conference to the G20, Urban October is a chance to advocate for the Daring Cities message on the world stage.
ICLEI has successfully acted as the focal point of the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) constituency since the first UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP) in 1995, including overseeing the coordination of drafting inputs to the negotiations, mobilization of delegations and bridging the dialogue between the UNFCCC Secretariat and cities and regions. Thus we act in concert with Urban Leaders to advocate the Daring Cities message at the yearly UNFCCC COP.