Welcome to the Age of the Meta City
In the Meta City, people and organisations are linked in a web that operates as a distinct unit following industry and business expertise. They are attached to a major — often global — economic hub. This research investigated city-to-city flows such as finance workers leaving New York for Miami; tech workers leaving the Bay Area for Austin, Texas; and workers in London decamping for Portugal or Spain. Melbourne and Sydney are positively highlighted in this Meta City research and are given equal standing to Hong Kong as “significant global hubs”. For these two cities, the challenge will be continuing to strengthen ties with the only major “global talent hubs” in our region - Singapore and Bangalore which have leveraged cost, business friendliness and skills to rise up the ranking of Meta Cities.
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Considerations on a better food system for World Food Day
16 October is World Food Day, an international day to commemorate the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). For ICLEI Oceania, it is a day to reflect on the significant challenges we see across our member cities and regions on issues like waste, nutrition and food sovereignty.
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City of Stirling on track with first trackless trams in Australia
The City of Stirling is conducting trials for Australia's first Trackless Tram and hopes that this sustainable mid-tier technology will become the future of public transport. This new innovation is geared to deliver on positive economic, transport and net zero outcomes - once again proving that Cities are at the forefront of innovating sustainable and regenerative future.
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WEBINAR RECORDING | Translating global biodiversity frameworks and campaigns into local action
ICLEI Oceania recently hosted a webinar about key global and national drivers of biodiversity and nature improvement, including the GBF.
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Women leaders mapping climate threats in the Pacific Islands
ICLEI Oceania recently worked with church parishioners on Betio, a densely populated island facing critical climate threats, and through mapping and storytelling, identified key environmental risks. An animated digital map will aid future adaptation efforts and government discussions.
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#CityGovernanceforSustainability: The new Three Rs in City Governance
As we approach the city election on 14 September, I spoke to Willow Aliento at the FifthEstate about how cities are practicing the ESG mantra through civic leadership. Global cities like Sydney have added responsibilities as the heartbeats of our society – they're where we make urban transformation and sustainable liveability happen.
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ICLEI Oceania delegates fly the flag for local and subnational governments across the region at the ICLEI World Congress
The ICLEI World Congress, which took place in São Paulo, Brazil, last month, demonstrated the collective power of cities and regions to address sustainability. With over 1 500 urban leaders from 96 countries participating in critical issues on climate action and urban resilience, this also set the stage for significant city and region input at COP30 in Belém, Brazil in 2025.
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Empowering local voices and partnerships to tackle the climate emergency: Lessons from the ICLEI World Congress
Innovative engagement events can foster meaningful dialogue and transform community needs into policy. ICLEI’s “Town Hall COP” initiative, piloted in 2023 as “local stocktakes” and continuing into 2024 and beyond, elevates the voices of those experiencing climate impacts on-the-ground by delivering city-level needs to global policy professionals.
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ICLEI’s new global leadership welcomes further support for Oceania and island nations
The ICLEI World Congress, held last month in São Paulo, Brazil, reinforced ICLEI’s strategy towards zero emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development, and gave rise to a number of key initiatives of importance for Oceania and small coastal cities and regions.
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World Oceans Day Spotlight: Strengthening Kiribati's resilience to support its vulnerable communities
World Ocean Day serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness between healthy oceans and a stable climate. We can see the close relationship between climate and oceans in Kiribati, one of the most vulnerable atoll nations facing the brunt of climate change.
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Australian Local Government Climate Review Survey 2024
ICLEI Oceania has collaborated with Ironbark Sustainability, Better Futures Australia, Climate Emergency Australia and a number of local government associations and greenhouse alliances to produce an updated version of the Australian Local Government Climate Review survey.
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Partnerships and stronger regulation will help cities embrace the circular economy challenge
At ICLEI we advocate for and deliver projects that support the transition to a circular economy. Local governments across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and Pacific Island nations are at different levels in their transformative journeys to investment in the circular economy, but they share one trait in common: the need to promote and embrace the circular economy.
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ICLEI’s growing presence in the Pacific
The Pacific Islands are harbingers of climate change, being some of the most vulnerable places in the world. However, they are tackling climate change threats head-on and finding new ways to build resilience to rising sea levels, water stress and food insecurity. These islands are at the frontline and setting precedents which will be critical for the survival of many other parts of the world.
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Expanded ICLEI Oceania meets with its key climate partners
In March, the expanded ICLEI Oceania team, including ICLEI Deputy Secretary General, Ms Kobie Brand, had the pleasure of hosting a number of representatives from its Australian partners, with the aim of sharing information and exploring synergies. These partners included Better Futures Australia (BFA), an active alliance of peak body climate advocacy groups, Climateworks Centre (Monash University), and the Melbourne Centre for Cities (University of Melbourne).
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ICLEI to enter into a renewed MoU with ALGA to strengthen multi-level governance
The Board of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) recently approved a second memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ICLEI Oceania. The MoU, which is key to strengthening the existing partnership with Australia’s peak local government body, identifies mutual priorities from ICLEI’s development pathways and ALGA’s strategic priorities over the next couple of years to maximise the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of councils and communities.
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