Member Needs

What Kinds of Support Do ICLEI Members Most Need to Accomplish Their Climate Protection and Sustainability Goals?

Of survey respondents expressed the desire for common standards in how they account for GHG emissions

GHG Accounting Standards

More than 92% of survey respondents emphasized the need for standards in how they account for greenhouse gas emissions and reductions. Some respondents even listed common standards as the most valuable aspect of ICLEI membership.

How ICLEI is responding:

• ICLEI is already the go-to organization for standardized tools and protocols to measure and report GHG emissions. In 2008, along with our partners The Climate Registry, the California Climate Action Registry, and the California Air Resources Board, we released a new national standard, the Local Government Operations Protocol.
• We have updated our trainings related to emissions inventories, software and data collection techniques to adhere to our new protocol.
  
• Project 2 Degrees, our web-based, next-generation emissions inventory software developed in collaboration with the Clinton Climate Initiative and Microsoft Corporation will be released to local governments in the ICLEI network in 2009.
• In 2009, we will begin work on a protocol for community-wide inventories.
• Beyond climate mitigation, ICLEI is also developing the STAR Community Index, in partnership with the Center for American Progress and the U.S. Green Building Council, which will become the definitive means by which local governments measure and “certify” their sustainability achievements.

Overcoming Financing Hurdles

Of survey respondents said that financing is their greatest barrier to accomplishing emissions reductions

Securing funding for climate and sustainability initiatives is always a challenge, and in these tough economic times, members are increasingly in need of the best information regarding funding resources and strategies.

How ICLEI is responding:

• We have created a Stimulus Funding Updates page on our website, with the latest resources and instructions on how to secure economic recovery funding; we will also conduct regular webinars to keep our members informed about these funding opportunities.
• We continually update our Funding Opportunities page with the latest national and regional resources.
• In early 2009, we published our Revolving Energy Fund Guide, which details how local governments can create a source of funding specifically for projects that embrace energy efficiency or increase clean energy installations.
• Our new Energy Office Initiative will train local governments on how to institutionalize their energy work with a self-financing office.

Access to Online Resources

of survey respondents identified the need for more climate action resources on the ICLEI USA website, including case studies, sample policies, and guidebooks, as a top priority.

How ICLEI is responding:

• In January 2009, we unveiled the Member Center, a password-protected section of the ICLEI USA website accessible only to ICLEI member liaisons. It is stocked with resources from online forums and peer networking to exclusive access to resources.
• In 2008, the ICLEI website added two resource-rich program pages to its website: the Transportation and Climate Change Project, and the Northeast Clean School Bus Initiative.
• In early 2009, ICLEI released five new guides and toolkits on its website – filled with information on how to implement specific emissions reduction measures: the Outreach and Communications Guide, the Revolving Energy Fund Guide, the Recycling and Solid Waste Management Guide, the Small Communities Toolkit (coming soon), and the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Guide. Most of these are available exclusively to ICLEI members via the Member Center.
• In 2009, we will also release the Early Action Planner’s Handbook and Green Jobs Toolkit, and we will continue the development of our Climate Resilient Communities Program, as well as our Sustainability Planning Toolkit.
• We are hard at work on case studies and success stories, and we are continually adding new local government policies, resolutions, and action plans to our website. ICLEI member liaisons can submit their own resources for posting on the website and sharing with the network.
• We are also working to restructure our Action Center to make it easier to find the exact resources members need.