Cities and regions aren’t waiting for climate solutions – they are already implementing them and are ready to scale them to help fulfill the global goals of the Paris Agreement. A decade on – with countries committed to 1.5°C and net-zero by mid-century – local and regional governments remain on the front lines of the climate emergency response, underscoring the imperative for more coordinated action across all levels of governance for ambitious national climate plans.
Under the theme “Stronger national climate plans through multilevel action,” Daring Cities 2025, co-convened by ICLEI and the Federal City of Bonn, Germany, gathered local and regional leaders and national policymakers to shape NDCs 3.0 ahead and beyond COP30.
Building on the momentum of the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnership for Climate Action (CHAMP) and supporting the Town Hall COP Initiative, this sixth edition of Daring Cities paired bold climate commitments with tools, finance, equity, and community leadership.
The Daring Cities 2025 Bonn Dialogues and subsequent Virtual Forum sessions presented real-world case studies and ready-to-use resources, connecting local solutions to national ambition and global impact. This compendium features them.
As we approach COP30, the COP30 Presidency’s call for a Global Mutirão – to move from negotiations to implementation – sets the tone. We invite local and regional governments, communities and stakeholders, national governments, and the intergovernmental community to engage with, and be inspired by, the practical solutions showcased at Daring Cities 2025.
