[7] ICLEI is considered a bridging organization,[8] playing important roles in knowledge sharing[9] and in intermediation processes between local initiatives and regulatory actors.

[15] According to the organization's website, the ICLEI members "steer the direction of our work, shape our strategy and support the mission, mandate and principles set in our statutes.

Dues are determined through a fair share model, based on the type of organization and its population size and income level.

[17] Cities and municipalities are recognized as key stakeholders with a significant role to play in implementing climate change policies and reducing emissions, through energy, transportation, land use, construction, waste management and education.

[11][18] Participation in city networks like ICLEI, with their potential for sharing of best practices, peer exchange, and joint projects, rose significantly in the 2000s.

[32][33] ICLEI promotes programs for local-level adoption and implementation, providing tested, practical advice[34] for connecting international agreements and targets with initiatives and actions at local levels.

The network develops and shares operational manuals, guidelines, best practices, and methods for monitoring and assessing progress.

"[38] The LA21 framework is "grounded in a broad inclusive process of consultation" which can help local stakeholders to identify common goals, reconcile differences and create working partnerships.

[46][47] ICLEI is recognized for realizing the significance of cities for urban sustainability and for supporting their initiatives through ongoing efforts for over 30 years.

[51] They identified resilience as the city's ability to respond "creatively, preventively and proactively to change or extreme events, thus mitigating crisis or disaster".

[52] Consideration of resilience can include not only climate change mitigation and adaptation and disaster risk reduction but also issues like food security and housing.

[60][61] The EcoMobility Alliance was formed in October 2011 in Changwon, Korea at the World Congress on Mobility for the Future of Sustainable Cities.

[63] The first EcoMobility World Festival occurred in Suwon, South Korea in 2013 where a neighborhood in the city was transformed and became largely car-free for a month.

Members elect 21 representatives to serve on the Executive Committee, which oversees the implementation of the Strategic Plan and ICLEI operations.

[79][80][81] ICLEI has been a target of conspiracy theories related to its support for Agenda 21, a nonbinding United Nations initiative that seeks to promote responsible resource and land conservation.

The framework encourages local communities to develop concrete strategies to meet their needs, through public involvement, open decision-making, partnerships and networking.