ICLEI Oceania

04/08/2026

We recently hosted our first Member-Exclusive Webinar on URBAN HEAT & HEALTH, exploring the growing impacts of extreme urban heat on public health and wellbeing alongside the practical strategies being implemented across our member councils.

Here are some key takeaways from the session:
🚨 Heat is a silent urban emergency
Extreme heat is not just a weather event—it is a growing public health, social and economic emergency that affects physical and mental health, productivity and community wellbeing. Despite its severity, it is often underestimated, with media portrayals frequently masking the real risks and reinforcing unsafe behaviours.

🌡️ Heat vulnerability goes beyond temperature
Heat-related risk is driven as much by social and environmental conditions as by the temperature itself. Some communities are at much greater risk in extreme heat than others due to inadequate housing, limited access to shade and cooling, and underlying disparities in income, healthcare access, and systemic neglect.

💡Lasting solutions must be systemic
While personal actions such as staying hydrated remain important, they are not enough to address the growing impacts of extreme heat as the scale of the problem requires systemic, urgent solutions. Long-term resilience depends on integrating heat into urban planning, improving housing standards and embedding heat resilience into everyday local government decision-making.

🤝 Collaboration is essential for heat resilience
Councils are already leading innovative initiatives, such as Adelaide's Cool Wayfinding Tool and Blacktown's Cool Centres, but they continue to face significant implementation challenges, including unclear governance responsibilities, limited staff capacity and funding constraints. Creating heat-resilient communities requires coordinated action across all levels of government, researchers, community organisations and local communities alike.

A huge thank you to those who joined us, and to our brilliant speakers: Dr Heidi Albert from ICLEI Cities Health Centre, Emma Bacon from Sweltering Cities, Yael Lang & Dylan Mackay from Blacktown City Council, and David Bills from City of Adelaide.

This webinar marked the beginning of our Member-Exclusive Webinar Series, where we'll continue bringing together experts and local governments to share knowledge, exchange ideas and explore practical solutions to the critical sustainability challenges facing our councils. If you’d like to find out about joining our network, please contact our team at [email protected]. Stay tuned for upcoming sessions!

30/07/2026

This July, our member councils are taking action to reduce single-use plastics and inspire more sustainable choices across their communities.

Each year, more than 430 million tonnes of plastics are produced worldwide, but only around 9% gets recycled. The result is a growing plastic pollution crisis that is affecting ecosystems, wildlife and human health around the globe.

What initially started as a nation-wide campaign in Australia, has grown into a global movement, inspiring more than 170 million participants across over 190 countries to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics. It encourages simple behaviour changes that can collectively reduce plastic waste and support a more sustainable future.

Our member councils are at the forefront of this initiative, encouraging their residents and businesses to be more mindful of their consumption and swap single-use plastics for reusable alternatives. Throughout Plastic Free July, councils have been engaging their communities through a range of initiatives that inspire practical, everyday actions to reduce plastic waste.

🔗 Discover how some of our councils are supporting plastic-free solutions: https://icleioceania.org/2026/07/30/plastic-free-july-how-our-member-councils-are-driving-local-action/

23/07/2026

Reflections on the role of communications in achieving a more sustainable future

As we approach the UN CBD COP 17 in October and the UNFCCC COP 31 in November, it is an important moment to reflect on the actions needed to accelerate progress towards achieving a net-zero and nature-positive future. The built environment is one of the key areas with sustainable transformation potential, particularly in urban centres. Given the sector’s massive footprint – accounting for around 40% of carbon emissions and often relying on environmentally harmful materials – the built environment is a major global contributor to climate change and biodiversity loss. Transforming the built environment requires not only ambition but also a change in how sustainability is understood, valued and implemented throughout society.

So, how do we do it? The conversations we had at the Sydney Climate Action Week session on ‘Building to Zero: Making Sustainability “Normal” in the Built Environment’ highlighted that the solutions already exist. What is needed now is to make sustainable and nature-based solutions the default, financially rewarded and legally mandated way, instead of the exception. In other words, these solutions need to become the "norm".

The global ambitions agreed through the COPs must be turned into preferred actions at the local level, where government commitments are welcomed and well implemented. Without mainstreaming sustainable practices, they will continue to be regarded as niche or optional.

By embedding sustainability into everyday decisions, we can create the shifts needed to build the resilient, zero-carbon communities our future depends on.

🔗 CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO: https://youtu.be/CSBMLSKGXsY

As we approach the UN CBD COP 17 in October and the UNFCCC COP 31 i...

13/07/2026

Calling all ICLEI Oceania Members – we are officially launching our member-exclusive webinar series!

Join us for this first instalment on URBAN HEAT & HEALTH
This member-only series brings together expert speakers and fellow local government representatives to share practical knowledge, spark peer-to-peer exchange, and spotlight replicable city-led solutions from across the region.

🔎 Urban Heat and Health
📆 Tuesday 21 July 2026
🕒 3:00-4:30 PM AEST
🔗 Registration for ICLEI members: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DZzHy0-nSy6uJd8uBsJVuw

This session examines extreme urban heat and its consequences for public health and wellbeing, alongside the adaptive strategies being implemented across our cities. Following a summer of soaring temperatures, the issue of heat and health in our urban centres has never been more urgent. The evidence of the problem and proven solutions to address it already exist. This webinar will explore how we move from small-scale pilots to scalable implementation and transformation, making cooling solutions more accessible and available to improve public health.

We’re looking forward to hearing from:
Dr Heidi Albert – Head, ICLEI Cities Health Centre
Emma Bacon – Executive Director, Sweltering Cities
Yael Lang & Dylan Mackay – Sustainability and Climate Resilience team, Blacktown City Council
David Bills – Manager of Low Carbon and Circular Economy, City of Adelaide

To register your attendance, click here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DZzHy0-nSy6uJd8uBsJVuw

To confirm whether your local government is a Member or find out about joining our network, please contact [email protected] to speak to one of our team.

15/06/2026

Turning waste into wealth: How Nadi Town Council is leading the way 🌏♻️

At the 2026 Zero Waste Forum in Istanbul, Mr Muni Reddy, CEO of Nadi Town Council -NTCi Town Council -NTC , shared how Fiji’s third-largest town is leading the way in circular economy initiatives.

Facing the unique constraints of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Nadi has launched several high-impact projects:
1️⃣Return & Earn: A nation-wide bottle and can buy-back initiative, in collaboration with Mission Pacific Fiji, which simultaneously creates revenue, reduces litter and builds waste management culture in Nadi.
2️⃣Green waste collection: A Nadi Town Council scheme to collect and shred disaster-related green waste into mulch in the aftermath of Cyclone Vaiaunu.
3️⃣Clean Schools Programme: a series of waste management interventions in Nadi schools that encourage students to be agents of change for better waste management processes.
4️⃣Curb-side recycling: Nadi Town Council continues its recycling collection this year, bucking the national trend of minimal and stagnated recycling rates, and helping divert waste from landfill.

The role of global collaboration:
Mr Reddy highlighted that the partnership with ICLEI Oceania has been vital in bridging the technical gap, helping Nadi develop and implement a comprehensive Climate Action Plan for the entire district.

Nadi’s journey from local waste challenge to international climate advocacy is a great example of locally-driven, globally-connected action.

🔗 Read the full story: https://icleioceania.org/2026/06/12/zero-waste-forum-2026-turning-waste-to-wealth-with-nadi-town-council/

04/06/2026

Deepening our commitment to local this

Today, we are proud to mark World Environment Day by highlighting the growth of our Pacific Islands Office.

With the recent appointment of Jyoti Prasad as our first dedicated technical expert permanently based in the region, our ability to provide hands-on support to local councils in their work toward sustainability, adaptation, and resilience has been significantly enhanced.

This expanded presence is already driving real impact, with Sigatoka Town Council and Nasinu Town Council recently joining our growing global network. As World Environment Day reminds us, urgent action is essential to building a healthier future. The growth of our Pacific Islands Office underscores our dedication to this mission, proving that local action is critical. By embedding dedicated leadership where it is needed most, we are ensuring that frontline island communities are empowered to drive their own resilience.

Read the full story: https://icleioceania.org/2026/06/02/strengthening-iclei-oceanias-pacific-presence/

02/06/2026

This we’re looking at Blacktown City Council's blueprint for a cooler city

Extreme heat is becoming a regular challenge across Australia, but the City of Blacktown is finding smart ways to fight back. The city is integrating innovative design, nature-based solutions, and support programs to keep streets cooler and the community safer during the hottest months of the year.

Blacktown’s proactive response to extreme heat is a great example of local action that is having a real positive impact.

Read more: https://icleioceania.org/2026/04/24/city-of-blacktown-beats-the-heat/

07/04/2026

The seventh Pacific Urban Forum (PUF 7) recently took place in Port Moresby, where over 300 delegates, including national and local government officials and international agencies, gathered to address the critical intersection of rapid urbanisation and climate change in the Pacific.

As a proud member of the Pacific Urban Partnership, ICLEI Oceania was honoured to help facilitate these vital regional dialogues. Key highlights include:

➡️ 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: In partnership with the Commonwealth Local Government Forum - Pacific (CLGF), we co-hosted a session focusing on Kiribati. We explored village-scale food production techniques that not only bolster climate resilience but also create meaningful income-earning opportunities for women leaders.

➡️ 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: During the Mayors’ Roundtable, leaders from seven Pacific nations shared the realities of managing unprecedented population growth. The consensus was clear: to build resilient towns, we must simplify complex governance systems, address the financial resource gaps in small island councils, and foster stronger partnerships between the private sector and international bodies.

➡️ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗢𝗣𝟯𝟭: PUF 7 has generated incredible momentum as we look toward the Pre-COP event in Fiji this October. ICLEI is already planning a Town Hall COP to ensure local and sub-national voices remain at the heart of the UNFCCC process.

A huge thank you to the Governor of Port Moresby and the Ministry of Housing for their incredible hospitality. Special thanks also to Dr. Alexei Trundle for coordinating this successful event.

Together, we are building a more resilient and sustainable urban future for the Pacific.

Read more: https://icleioceania.org/2026/04/07/pacific-resilience-fresh-momentum-from-puf-7/

25/03/2026

The 7th Pacific Urban Forum (PUF7) kicked off in Port Moresby this week with stakeholders discussing the future of Pacific communities. The message from Day 1 is clear: resilience is built on addressing the fundamental enabling conditions of our urban environments.

A significant highlight was the opening address by the Governor of Port Moresby, who shed light on a growing challenge for Pacific cities: the transition from rural, informal economies to the complex cash economies of the city.

Key takeaways from day 1:
- Upgrading settlements and navigating customary land ownership remain critical hurdles to ensuring safe, inclusive housing for all.
- Many migrants moving from rural areas and outer islands face a "skills gap," arriving from self-sufficient backgrounds into a city environment they aren't yet equipped to navigate.
- We cannot build urban resilience without the active leadership of women heads of households and young people.

At ICLEI Oceania, we recognise that sustainable urbanisation in the Pacific requires more than just infrastructure; it requires a bridge between traditional knowledge and modern urban systems. Strengthening multi-level governance ensures that no one is left behind in this rapid transition.

Photo from breakout session on 'Food Security and Climate Resilience in Kiribati,’ which featured some of the innovative food garden techniques pioneered by the IKI project to counter saline soil and groundwater and provide fresh fruit and vegetables for the villages of South Tarawa.

Pictured:
Ms Karibaiti Taoaba, Regional Director Pacific, CLGF
Steve Gawler, Director International Programs, ICLEI Oceania
Mayor Tetabo Mainama, Betio Town Council and Chair of KiLGA
Ms Tiene Kanoua, CEO KiLGA
Ms Lucy Slack, Secretary General CLGF