What it is
The ICLEI World Congress is the global gathering of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, a network that, by its own count, brings together 2,500 local and regional governments. ICLEI holds it every three years. Recent editions were in Montréal in 2018, in a cycle that began with a virtual launch in 2021 and ended with the Malmö Summit in 2022, and in São Paulo in June 2024.
The next congress will be hosted by the City of Pohang, Republic of Korea, from 12 to 15 October 2027, according to the ICLEI announcement. Pohang has been an ICLEI member since 2015.
What the 2027 edition is about
The theme is sustainable transition. ICLEI notes that the word means different things to different places: some cities are rebuilding old industrial economies, others are scaling up climate action already under way, and many are doing both with limited resources. Over four days, members and partners are expected to exchange experience, look at practical solutions and build partnerships between cities, towns and regions. No programme, venue or speaker list has been published yet.
Who goes and how to take part
The congress is addressed to local and regional governments and their partners. For 2027, ICLEI says details on registration, programming and engagement opportunities will follow in the coming months. We could not find a price or any rule on whether non-members may register.
What came out of the last edition
The São Paulo congress in 2024 brought together over 1,500 attendees, including more than 100 mayors, according to ICLEI’s outcomes report announcement. ICLEI says that, as a result, it is set to start more than 300 programmes, projects and initiatives over the following three years. The interactive report collects more than 70 case studies from local and regional governments, recordings of the six plenaries and recordings of nine of the 35 thematic sessions.
The congress was also used to launch commitments. ICLEI presented its Gender Declaration there, with eight commitments on gender equity in urban planning and local governance.
Why it matters for cities
For a European city, the congress is less a place to learn about EU programmes than a way to compare its climate and transition work with cities on other continents. ICLEI Europe also runs a European event, the European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns, which is closer to EU policy.
Following from home
Until registration opens, ICLEI points to its newsletter, iNews, and its social channels for updates. The 2024 report and its recordings remain the best record of what the congress produces.