Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
1
Vertical Integration of ClimateChange Policies and Actions inAsia-Pacific Cities
h t t p s : / / w w w . u n e s c a p . o r g / o u r - w o r k / e n v i r o n m e n t - d e v e l o p m e n t / u r b a n - d e v e l o p m e n t
L i a m F e e , S e n i o r C o n s u l t a n t , C i t i e s a n d C l i m a t e C h a n g eS u s t a i n a b l e U r b a n D e v e l o p m e n t S e c t i o n , U n i t e d N a t i o n s E S C A P3 0 t h O c t o b e r 2 0 2 0
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
2
Objectives of this Paper:
To provide an assessment of how urban climate action is supported, promoted or obstructed by the countries’ multi-level governance frameworks and instruments to consider the role of existing and
emerging governance mechanisms
To identify innovative and replicable instruments that
support climate change mitigation and adaptation actions in Asia-
Pacific that are (or are not) vertically integrated in national
policies
To identify key policy pathways, lessons and takeaways on the role of vertical integration of
climate change policies in the Asia and Pacific region, relevant to the
cities’ perspective
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
3
Why this paper? And Why Now?.Global impact, increasing momentum, enabling policy
• It’s timely – NDCs are currently being updated
with greater ambition needed in most countries.
• To examine how cities are emerging as leaders to
spearhead the recovery from the pandemic and
toward more ambitious commitments.
• Because there is an architecture of international
agreements that enable cities to build on a
history of localizing by providing more support
than at any other time in history.
• The paper was prepared as an input into UN
World Cities Day. Key policy inputs/messages will
be conveyed to Asia-Pacific member states
participating in the 6th Session of the ESCAP
Committee on Environment and Development on
December 9th – 10th 2020.
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
4
Urban Climate Action and the NDCsS e t t i n g t h e S c e n e
• This paper highlights the critical frameworks and instruments
required to turn NDC commitments into action.
• The Philippines and India are the two largest countries in the region
to make 2°C compatible commitments in their NDCs.
• In some countries, urban sector ministries are key drivers of
horizontal collaboration (which supports vertical integration).
• Cities are making direct contributions to mitigation and adaptation
goals, with support from C40, GCoM, UCLG, among others.
• Many NDCs from the region prioritize urban areas or urban-related
priorities – providing a basis for vertical integration.
Source: UN-Habitat (2018). Sustainable Urbanization and the Paris Agreement, p.31. Note, original
source includes countries outside the ESCAP definition of Asia-Pacific
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
5
Defining Multi-Level Governance Frameworks
• Frameworks are the systems in which different levels of
government interact.
• Instruments are the specific platforms, funding
mechanisms, and action plans that are implemented to support
climate action at the local or city level.
Multilevel
Governance
Frameworks
Multilevel
Governance
Instruments
Implementing
Instruments
Institutionalizing
InstrumentsCross-cutting
instruments
The paper understands multi-level climate governance as a term that refers to:
“the structural and institutional setting in
which different levels of government
distribute roles and responsibilities,
coordinate and cooperate on climate action ”
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
6
MLG Frameworks -Key Messages• Frameworks are important because climate change adaptation and
mitigation actions are highly complex in numerous ways;
• Many climate change mitigation and adaptation actions are financially
expensive and technologically complex, and require cooperation across
different departments, with different sectors, and at different scales.
• An example of this complexity is the 2011 Thailand floods and the
response and adaptation actions after it, which involved numerous
departments, different jurisdictions and international cooperation
• Decentralization can be an effective enabler of vertically integrated
climate action, however, it can also create bottlenecks, where systems
don’t support effective interactions between levels of government.
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
7
Multi-level Governance Instruments
Institutionalizing Instruments
• Climate Finance
• Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MRV)
• Implementing and institutionalizing instruments achieve a particular purpose at a particular stage of action.
Cross-cutting Instruments
• City-Level Capacity,
• Citizen Engagement and Participation
• Digitization
• Cross-cutting instruments are useful at any stage, or all stages, of climate change mitigation or adaptation action.
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
8
Climate Finance as an Instrument of Multi-Level Governance
• US$16.8 trillion of new and additional investment is needed globally to meet present NDC commitments.
• At present, 76% of climate finance is domestic.
• Most cities are unable to raise their own finance, increasing the need for vertical integration and multi-sector
partnerships.
• It is very difficult for cities to raise international public or private finance, without partnering with national level
agencies, or external partners.
• There is a general correlation between a country’s economic development and cities’ independence from
central government budget transfers.
• Climate Public Expenditure and Institutional Reviews (CPEIRs), are effective tools to understand the public
climate finance in countries.
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
9
The People’s Survival FundC a s e S t u d y
• The People’s Survival Fund (PSF) is the Government of the Philippines’
f lagship climate finance programme.
• PSF works under a supportive national legal and policy framework,
including the 2009 Climate Change Act and the 2011 People’s Survival
Fund Act, and is overseen by the Climate Change Commission, which
reports directly to the Office of the President;
• However, of an initial 1 billion Peso (approximately US$20.6 million),
only around 1/3rd has been utilized.
• Cities have struggled with the requirements of the fund and balancing
these with their existing planning responsibilities. Demand for
adaptation support exists, but there are capacity and administrative
blockages.
• Problems with the fund are not insurmountable, however, and it could
yet prove a model for others. Source: PSF Official Facebook Page
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
10
Measuring, Reporting and Verification• MRV under the Convention dates back to 2007, and is expressed
through Biennial Update Reports (BURs).
• Countries have been responsible for defining and implementing their
own MRV systems. Yet, participation in the international MRV system
has been limited.
• Some country systems, such as the one in India, have been complex
and relied on self-certification. Cities and local governments’
participation in the Convention’s MRV system has been very limited.
• A new system called the enhanced transparency framework will come
into place in 2024.
• Other opportunities, such as the NAZCA platform, exist for non-
state and local actors
Measuring
• Measuring refers to reduction in GHG emissions and the
impact of mitigation measures, including support
received and required in the future
Reporting
• Reporting is articulated through National
Communications every 4 years and Biennial Update
Reports (BURs)
Verification
• Verification is the process to increase the
transparency of mitigation actions and their effects,
through international consultation and analysis
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
11
City Capacity• Considering the scale and complexity of climate change mitigation
and adaptation actions necessary, it is unsurprising that greater
institutional, human resources and financial capacities are required.
• Almost all countries in Asia-Pacific have used their official
communications to the UNFCCC to highlight the need to build
capacity.
• Yet many organisations provide capacity building support on climate
change: C40, UCLG, GCoM (among many others).
• It is important for cities to agree climate goals and actions. These are
a means to increase institutional, human resource and financial
capacity. Dedicated climate departments with human resource
capacity can support efforts to horizontally and vertically integrate
climate action, while finance is critical for implementation.
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
12
Citizen Engagement in Semarang, IndonesiaC a s e S t u d y
• Citizen engagement and participation is a critical element
of ‘good governance’ – so it follows that it must be critical
to good climate governance too.
The paper offers a distinction between:
• Engagement (a more top-down, formalized process);
• Participation (a more bottom-up spontaneous process).
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
13
Digitization and Smart Cities• Digital solutions offer new and innovative solutions for city climate
action in the Asia-Pacific region and so far, have been mostly applied in
energy efficiency, water management, and especially urban mobility;
• One good practice is Beijing’s Pick Me Up, a transport
application. This is privately operated but with support from
national and city government;
• Cities like Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing are replicating the
initiative, with potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by
658 tonnes per year.
• Bhubaneswar, as part of India’s Smart Cities Mission has
implemented Mu Saviour, an app that crowd-sources data about
flood risk;
• Mu Saviour is in line with India’s NDC commitment but also
directly engages communities.
Source: ADB Report 50 Climate Solutions From Cities In
The People’s Republic Of China
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
14
Conclusions and Key Messages
Multilevel governance
frameworks are
important because of
the scale and
complexity of climate
action.
Decentralization can
be an important
enabling framework
Citizen acceptance
of climate actions or
even co-production
of them, gained
through formal
engagement
processes, or less
formal participatory
approaches is
essential
Finance is a critical
implementing
instrument of climate
change adaptation
and mitigation action,
through new modes
of enabling cities to
directly access new
and additional public
climate finance.
Measuring, reporting
and verification is
new to many
countries in the
region, the systems
are evolving, with the
current system
scheduled to be
replaced between
2022-2024
Capacity at the city
level remains patchy
at best, despite
extensive efforts.
Climate policies and
plans, supported by
institutional, human
resource and
financial capacity are
essential
As the region
recovers from the
Covid-19 pandemic,
spaces for
collaboration will
move more online,
making travel and
budget less of a
restriction to
participation
To create co- and
peer to peer
learning, international
collaboration,
including south-south
exchanges, is critical
Exp
ert
Gro
up
Meeti
ng
15
Thank you!
H T T P : / / W W W . E S C A P . O R G / O U R - W O R K / E N V I R O N M E N T - D E V E L O P M E N T / U R B A N - D E V E L O P M E N T
Liam Fee