Daring Cities 2026

Daring Cities 2026 marks the seventh edition of the forum, co-convened by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability and the Federal City of Bonn, Germany. Following UNFCCC COP30 and the adoption of updated national climate plans, this edition focuses on the critical phase of implementation.

As cities and regions continue to drive climate action on the ground, Daring Cities 2026 provides a politically grounded platform to connect local leadership with national and global climate processes. Bringing together local and regional leaders, national governments, and key partners, the forum will address persistent gaps in multilevel governance, finance, and coordination.

Through a series of high-level exchanges, Daring Cities 2026 will support cities in translating climate commitments into concrete action, while strengthening their role in shaping and delivering the Paris Agreement.

Explore what Daring Cities 2026 is bringing to the table:

Five shifts for urban climate action

  1. From recognition to implementation
    Governance gaps, limited capacity, fragmented financing, and weak coordination continue to slow progress on multilevel implementation of national commitments.
  2. From climate science to real-world action
    The window to shape the impact of the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities is open now, presenting a once-in-a-generation moment to catalyze momentum on local climate action.
  3. From financing gaps to investable projects
    Cities and states around the world are setting bold climate targets, yet many still struggle to access the capital needed to deliver them. Stronger governance, clear project pipelines, and institutional capacity are key.
  4. From emissions first to wellbeing first
    Cities and states have spent a decade counting what they emit. Now they must design for the quality of lives they make possible.
  5. From cities as implementers to equal partners in climate action
    Multilevel governance is the Paris Agreement’s most resilient implementation architecture, and it is time global processes reflected that.
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Bonn Dialogues

The Daring Cities 2026 Bonn Dialogues were held on 10–12 June in Bonn, Germany, alongside the June Climate Meetings (SB64).

The Bonn Dialogues brought together local, regional and national leaders, alongside key partners, and provided a space for focused dialogue on strengthening the role of cities in multilevel climate governance. They connected global policy discussions with concrete implementation pathways in the lead-up to COP31.

Check out our photo albums from Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 

10 June program

Daring Cities 2026 Opening plenary

Daring Cities 2026 Bonn Dialogues opened with a multilevel discussion focused on a fundamental question: What role should cities and regions play in the next chapter of climate governance?

The answer that emerged was that local and regional governments are essential partners in shaping how climate action is governed, financed and delivered.

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10 June program

13:30 – 15:30 Parallel sessions

  • Beyond easy wins: Funding complex urban projects
  • Leveraging Town Hall COPs as a mechanism for multilevel climate action

16:00 – 18:00 Parallel sessions

  • Local action for national ambitions: Aligning city climate action plan with NDCs
  • Cities for Flourishing Lives: Accelerating innovation beyond net zero (starting at 16:30)

18:30 – 21:00 Reception hosted by Mayor of Bonn

11 June program

09:00 – 10:30 LGMA Position Consultation

10:30 – 12:30 From assessment to political uptake: How SR- Cities can strengthen multilevel climate governance

12:30 – 14:00 From IPCC evidence to urban delivery: What boundary organizations must build before SR-Cities lands

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12 June program

10:30 – 11:45 Implementing NDCs in cities: Showcasing local leadership for equitable and multilevel climate action
(UNFCCC SB64 side event)

As NDCs 3.0 increasingly include cities, implementation depends on multilevel finance and coordination. Co-hosted by ICLEI and UN-Habitat, this event examined how national and local actors can mobilize investment and deliver urban climate action at scale.

Catch the vibe at the Daring Cities 2026 Bonn Dialogues

 

Sustainability at Daring Cities Bonn Dialogues 2026

Public Transit

Public transit in Bonn is frequent and reliable, we encourage all participants to make use of sustainable transport methods including walking, biking and public transit.

Materials and waste

Paper use and printing is kept to an absolute minimum for our events favouring digital options. Food waste is kept to a minimum for all events through careful planning between the Daring Cities team and catering teams and by encouraging guests to take food home at the end of the event.

Venue

Our venue is provided by GIZ and offers a first-rate sustainable venue in which we host the majority of our Daring Cities sessions. This building is DGNB-Platinum certified and therefore boasts the highest levels of resource protection, energy and economic efficiency. The energy powering the building (and therefore, all Daring Cities events) is 100% sustainably sourced and rainwater is collected for non-potable water usage. 

Catering

The catering provided by GIZ is fully vegetarian and also includes vegan options. All food is organic, sourced locally, if available, and takes seasonality into account. The coffee and tea options provided are triply certified: Organic, Fairtrade, and Rainforest Alliance. 

For our Daring Cities reception, hosted by the City of Bonn, the catering will have a focus on regional sourced options with a preference for small, local businesses and sustainable options. All food options will be vegetarian with the majority of offerings being vegan.