Local Voices for Sustainability

Paris is transforming into a greener, more liveable city—one street and biodiversity corridor at a time. In this episode, we sit down with Celeste Rouberol from the City of Paris about how the French capital is reimagining urban life through nature, from its ambitious Biodiversity Plan to new community-led green spaces.Learn about Paris' role as a Lighthouse City in the UNP+ project, here. Learn about the EU's Nature Restoration Regulation, here.

What does it mean to live on an island that may one day vanish? How can communities adapt to climate change, and what does staying – or leaving – really mean? In this episode, ICLEI Europe speaks with Dr. Catharina Greve about Neuwerk, a tiny island in northern Germany where climate change is no abstraction – storm surges, rising seas, and shifting tides define daily life. Greve introduces the RescueME project, which explores how cultural landscapes like Neuwerk can (or cannot) be preserved, and how residents are shaping their own future.From horse-drawn carts crossing tidal flats to “serious games” – where locals and policymakers test out future scenarios – this conversation dives deep into resilience, wilderness, and the tough choices communities face when home itself is at risk.Explore the work being done by ICLEI Europe's Resilience and Climate Adaptation team here.

Public procurement isn’t just about getting the best price – it’s about shaping the greener and fairer cities of tomorrow. In this episode, we visit ICLEI Member City Oslo to learn how the Oslo Model is tackling social dumping, raising labour standards, and making public purchasing a tool for social and environmental change.🎙️ Hear from Kjersti Koffeld and Espen Nicolaysen on how Oslo is applying socially responsible procurement in practice – and why tracking, supplier dialogue, and political will matter.Oslo also shares its experience in the Big Buyers Working Together initiative, where cities across Europe join forces to move markets in a greener, fairer direction.🔗 Learn more: https://public-buyers-community.ec.europa.eu/about/big-buyers-working-together

Łódź, Poland is turning co-creation into climate action. In this episode, we speak with Aleksandra Sztuka, Deputy Director of Environment Management at the City of Łódź,  who explains how the city is working with residents to green public spaces, tackle water scarcity, and rethink urban planning. It’s a fresh take on how cities can build fairer, more sustainable futures—together.Learn more about ‘The Power of Many’ here.

The last time the EU concluded its long-term budget negotiations was in 2021. Back then, COVID-19 was in full swing and defense and European cohesion were not the topics they are today. Priorities change. The new EU budget is expected to be announced this July. So, we wanted to know - what should we expect? What changes would benefit cities and towns? ICLEI Europe’s Senior Advocacy Expert, Goksen Sahin, provided us with her insight. Interested in learning more? Check out this position paper from The Local Alliance, which calls on EU leaders to develop a budget that is a robust and comprehensive tool for achieving a climate-neutral, just, and competitive Europe.