Recently, ICLEI Member Udalsarea 2030 (Basque Country) celebrated its 20th anniversary. Created in December 2022 with only 16 municipalities, Udalsarea serves as a forum for coordination between Basque public administrations to promote sustainability at municipal level. Udalsarea 2030 reaches its 20th anniversary with a total of 205 municipalities and counties committed to sustainability and Agenda 2030 in the Basque Country.

During these two decades, Udalsarea 2030 reached a wide scope of achievements, namely:

• 50 municipalities are working on the Local Agenda 2030,
• 25 Basque municipalities adhered to the International Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy,
• 55 Basque municipalities have drawn up, have or are working on plans that address climate (mitigation and adaptation) and energy, and
• another 38 municipalities calculate annually the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and the Carbon Footprint of their municipalities since 2016.

“We wish a happy 20th anniversary to Udalsarea 2030, with whom ICLEI Europe has had the pleasure of working with since 2004. Engagement, resolution, innovation, diligence, agility, thoughtfulness and enthusiasm all describe Udalsarea 2030’s workforce, network and activities. As a territorial network, Udalsarea 2030 plays a key leadership role in coordinating and implementing global frameworks and initiatives on sustainable development, climate change and biodiversity. For more years to come,” said Wolfgang Teubner, regional director of ICLEI Europe.

Last week, Basque President Iñigo Urkullu led a commemorative event for the anniversary. In his speech, Mr Urkullu highlighted the key role of Udalsarea in tackling the climate challenge, “town and city councils, associations of municipalities and supra-municipal bodies play a key role; local and regional authorities implement 70% of climate change mitigation measures and 90% of climate change adaptation policies. We work directly with people and we have the opportunity to encourage a change in citizens' attitudes towards sustainability”. In this way, he stated the need to continue moving forward, in order to involve all agents and citizens in the transition towards a more cohesive, resilient, sustainable and just society. 

Check the document, Udalsarea 2030, 20 years working for local sustainable development, here.