Mayor of Turku Minna Arve Elected First Vice President of ICLEI, the World’s Leading Organization for Sustainable Cities

Mayor of Turku, Minna Arve, has been elected First Vice President of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, the world’s leading organization for sustainable cities. The ICLEI board was elected through a global membership vote held during the spring, with the results announced on World Environment Day, June 5. The three-year term starting in June 2024 marks Arve’s second term as a member of ICLEI’s board. In addition to her role as First Vice President, Arve will serve as the European Regional Representative and Chair of the Global Circular Development Portfolio.

Alongside Arve, the ICLEI leadership for the 2024–2027 term includes Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, Mayor of Malmö, Sweden, as President; Mohamed Sefiani, Mayor of Chefchaouen, Morocco, as Vice President; and Marjorie Kauffmann, Secretary of State for Environment and Infrastructure of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, as Vice President. 

– This election is a tremendous vote of confidence from colleagues around the world, and I am grateful for it. ICLEI has established itself as the world’s leading network for sustainable cities and a crucial advisor in decision-making processes of the UN, G7 countries, and the European Union. I am delighted to continue this impactful and important work as First Vice President,” says Mayor Minna Arve. 

The role of cities in mitigating climate change will become increasingly important in the coming years as urbanization accelerates. Arve believes that climate financing should increasingly be tied to effective action. 

– Seven COPs have taken place since the Paris Agreement was signed, yet last year was the hottest on record. The work for a more sustainable future is done in cities, but the funding we receive is unfortunately negligible compared to its impact. This needs to change, Arve states. 

During her term as Vice President, Arve is committed to advancing efforts to prevent biodiversity loss, transitioning to a circular economy, and enhancing active dialogue between cities and businesses. She also emphasizes the importance of ensuring that cities have a seat at the negotiating table when climate goals are decided. This work began last November with the first Cities Climate Summit held during the Dubai Climate Conference, where Arve participated as the sole representative of Finnish cities.