The “Local Governments for a Sustainable Future” Association was founded in 1990 in New York during the UN World Congress of Local Governments for a Sustainable Future as the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives” (ICLEI). During the congress about 1000 municipalities and municipal organizations joined the Association. In 2003 the Association was renamed into Local Governments for a Sustainable Future but kept the abbreviation ICLEI. The mission of the Association is to assist local governments in getting significant improvements in the field of global sustainability paying particular attention to the environment.

On October 10-13, 2013 the international conference of the capitals of the countries-members of the Council of Europe was held in Yerevan. The Municipality of Yerevan took active part in ti. According to the decision of the Council of Elders of Yerevan 119-A dated 11.02.2014, Yerevan applied to the ICLEI World Secretariat to join the Association.

Since March 2014, Yerevan has become a member of ICLEI Association-Local Governments for a Sustainable Future.