The guide presents the main recommendations and experiences resulting from the preparation and development of the pilot version of the LEDS Lab in the Brazilian cities of Recife and Belo Horizonte, as well as in the Colombian cities of Envigado and Tópaga.

The guide is based on the GreenClimateCities (GCC) methodology developed and tested by ICLEI. It was structured to support local governments in addressing the challenges and opportunities of urban growth, promoting sustainable development and a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy.

The LEDS Lab is a climate project funding laboratory, launched in 2019. Its objective is to enhance the capacity of municipalities to develop fundable projects, considering aspects of climate change mitigation and adaptation. The LEDS Lab is part of the Urban-LEDS II project, "Accelerating Climate Action through the Promotion of Low-Emission Urban Development Strategies," whose main objective is to make low-emission development strategies a fundamental part of urban policy and planning in cities.

The Urban-LEDS II project, funded by the European Commission and implemented by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability in partnership with UN-Habitat, is underway in eight countries (South Africa, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Laos, and Rwanda). In South America, it is being implemented in seven local governments in Colombia and in eight cities in Brazil.