Between 2012 and 2015, eight model cities in Brazil, India and South Africa developed comprehensive urban strategies and action plans for decarbonisation using ICLEI’s Green Climate Cities (GCC) method. In the current, second phase of the Urban LEDS project, which is cofinanced by the EU, additional model cities in Colombia, Bangladesh, Laos and Rwanda are developing their climate strategies. Cooperation between local and national levels of government is at the heart of these activities.