RE-Energizing cities: Global 100% RE & ICLEI join forces

The aim is to start exploring more ambitious renewable energy (RE) targets, moving towards 100% RE where possible. The partnership is aimed at speeding up the transition to a sustainable energy future, with a focus on optimizing the use of available RE sources – using renewables to generate energy in the electricity, heating/cooling and transport sectors in cities. By building a network among local governments, the partners will provide a platform for knowledge exchange, engagement and policy dialogue. Seemingly scattered local actions are powerfully bundled and given political weight as a common movement. In this fashion, Global 100% RE and ICLEI intend to inspire change and support local governments in achieving the transition towards a fossil-free future.

The Global 100% RE campaign builds on existing initiatives at national, regional and local levels, with the overall goal of fostering debate on how 100% renewable energy should become the new standard. By establishing a global network of stakeholders and setting the target in the various regions and constituencies, ICLEI and Global 100% RE hope to speed up the development of a clearly defined roadmap towards success.

While the world’s leading scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently told world leaders that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have to be eliminated in order to ensure a habitable planet for current and future generations, many local governments across the world are already actively working on this. Communities and regions worldwide, including 74 sub-national and local governments in Germany, have already transitioned to 100% renewable energy in their energy supply, and many others around the world are on their way there. Entire nations are also striving for 100% RE, as is the case in Denmark, Iceland, Scotland, Costa Rica, Maldives Islands, Cook Islands, Tuvalu, and Tokelau.

Making the transition to 100% RE is first and foremost a practical and political decision. For the local government this implies taking a decision about energy in its own government operations, as well as the energy used in the whole local community. As one of the world’s leading city networks, supporting over 1,000 cities from 88 countries in their efforts to build a more sustainable urban future, ICLEI will assist the initiative by making knowledge and capacity-building tools available to its members. This includes a scenario development tool to explore what the energy future would look like. Offered for free to all local and subnational governments, the carbonn Climate Registry, will centralize their commitments in an online reporting platform which already captures several 100% RE targets from cities and regions. Further, Global 100% RE partners will closely work with ICLEI and its members to develop measurable criteria for local governments to assist their transition towards 100% RE.

By addressing the pressing issue of a transition towards 100% renewable energy and by actively engaging in the further development of the RE discussion, the partners in this initiative gain considerable leverage and strengthen their ability to achieve a sustainable, low-carbon future, particularly in urban areas.

Find out more about the 100% Renewables initiative and explore which pioneers have already started and/or achieved their transition to 100% RE.