Town Hall COPs are powerful demonstrations of how local action connects to global climate diplomacy. Inspired by the structure of the UN Climate Change Conferences (COPs), each Town Hall COP is designed to reflect the unique needs and voices of the hosting community – whether it’s a small town, a major city, or a regional network.
The recent Greater Adelaide Town Hall COP, jointly convened by the City of Adelaide and ICLEI Oceania, brought together around 80 participants from local councils, community organisations and state governments. Multilevel governance and collaboration was in full swing, with the addresses and workshop proceedings showing how local governments can lead climate action and resilience initiatives.
“The State Government has already done much of the heavy lifting, driving major renewable energy projects and laying the foundations for a low-carbon economy,” Dr Jane Lomax-Smith, Lord Mayor of Adelaide. “Now the focus shifts to local councils as the closest arm of government to our communities and their challenges.
Dr Heather Holmes-Ross, Mayor of the City of Mitcham, and new ICLEI member, showcased in her capacity as President of the Local Government Association of South Australia (LGA SA), her city’s success in community led climate innovation and the merits of joining globally relevant networks like ICLEI. Aligning with South Australia’s rich history of innovation, the LGA SA also launched the Algal Bloom Innovation & Regeneration Challenge, a comprehensive program to mobilise innovators to support the scientific community to develop tailored solutions for Australian conditions.
A key highlight of the day was the active participation of the Pacific Islands Council of South Australia (PICSA), whose contributions reinforced the importance of cities and regions being acutely aware of their Pacific partners.
The Greater Adelaide Town Hall COP was also a powerful demonstration of South Australia’s readiness to host COP31 in November 2026. The event helped build consensus and momentum for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by fostering collaboration across councils and communities. It showed that South Australia is not only ready to welcome the world for COP31 but is already leading the way in connecting local climate action to global ambition.
ICLEI Deputy Secretary General and ICLEI Oceania Interim Regional Director, Kobie Brand highlighted that:
“ICLEI, as convenor of the Cities and Regions Hub at COP30, will be presenting outcomes from the Greater Adelaide Town Hall COP through its channels. Likewise, content from the Adelaide summit will be presented at the Australian Pavilion in Belem, Brazil.”
For more on how to host a Town Hall COP in your city visit our dedicated Town Hall COP page on the ICLEI Oceania website.
