Pando (www.pando.sc) is a new online sustainability tool to connect sustainability researchers and local government practitioners around the world. After briefly summarising the state of sustainability since the 1992 Rio Declaration, the article details why networking should be seen as a major strategy to enhance learning about sustainability and to spur policy innovations at the local government level. Learning has the potential to increase institutional capacity within local government and to mobilise existing sustainability knowledge held by sustainability researchers. In promoting the potential of networks, we acknowledge the challenges associated with networking, including the difficulties that arise when academics and practitioners collaborate. Another challenge is related to the promotion of one-size-fits-all policy solutions, often packaged as “best practices”. In acknowledging these real challenges, we show how Pando has been designed to minimise them by connecting academics and practitioners in mutually beneficial relationships.