ICLEI believes that the ‘Common Good’ is an essential component for cities to consider as they strive to meet their sustainable development goals. ICLEI Members recently came together to discuss how this notion of the Common Good is a key part of the way forward for cities that are part of the EU Cities Mission.

The discussion made clear that the New Leipzig Charter’s call for a “political reorientation to the Common Good” is a prerequisite – required in order for sustainable transitions to be effective and just. Decision-making is faced with conflicts of interest, which demand strong value-bases to build legitimacy and public acceptance.

ICLEI Members Mannheim (Germany) and Helsingborg (Sweden), as well as Valencia (Spain) presented their activities to reach climate-neutrality, including detailing which governance instruments they have used to guide their actions. Additional inputs based on ICLEI’s work on sustainability management instruments and a lively discussions unearthed four key takeaways: we must breakdown silos; integrate targets and identify co-benefits; prioritise co-creation; and establish national networks.

The discussion was facilitated as part of an event titled “Paving the way towards climate-neutral cities,” which took place during the 15th Federal Congress on National Urban Development Policy in ICLEI Member Berlin (Germany). ICLEI moderated and co-organised the session, together with the European Urban Knowledge Network (EUKN). 

For more information, read a concise event report that provides additional details on the insights outlined above.

For additional context, read the most recent ICLEI briefing paper on the Social Economy, which links work on climate change, the Common Good, and multi-actor collaborations to transform the economy.