pep20, edinburgh: implementing the sdgs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies local...
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PEP20, Edinburgh: Implementing the SDGs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies
Local Government and P / E
Errol DouwesManager: Restoration Ecology Branch
Environmental Planning and Climate Protection DepartmentDurban (EThekwini Municipality), South Africa
PEP20, Edinburgh: Implementing the SDGs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies
In summary
Local-level governments will proceed to build sustainability, and ensure adaptation to climate
change, regardless of high level policies
PEP20, Edinburgh: Implementing the SDGs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies
Critical linkages• Sustainability
– Not a stand-along concept• Socio-economic development• Gender equity• Disaster risk reduction• Climate protection & resilience
– Always context specific• e.g. local / global; formal / informal
– Must deliver more than one ‘good’
• Local-level example:– Buffelsdraai Community
Reforestation Programme
PEP20, Edinburgh: Implementing the SDGs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies
Durban’s CEBA Projects – what are they delivering?
Climate Change AdaptationImproved resilience of communities & ecosystems
to climate change (e.g. water supply)
Climate Change Mitigatione.g. reforestation, renewable energy projects
Ecosystem restoratione.g. wetland rehabilitation; Invasive Alien Species removal from catchment; reforestation
Social upliftmentProject contributes towards improved livelihoods for those involved in work
Green EconomyGrowth of the Green Economy
Education & outreach
Research
PEP20, Edinburgh: Implementing the SDGs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies
PEP20, Edinburgh: Implementing the SDGs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies
But… progress is clumsy
• Still more questions than answers• Lots of poorly aligned debate• Options and more options
– Photo-voltaics / Wind / Infrastructure / Ecosystem services / Landscape approach?
• Many ‘super wicked’ problems – High complexity– Different perceptions and understanding of benefits– Difficult socio- and political- conditions– Silo approaches– Inadequate policies– Growing income divide– Natural / Env. resources not decoupled from GDP
PEP20, Edinburgh: Implementing the SDGs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies
What to do?
• Unpack the difficulties– Interventions must have multiple co-
benefits– Conceptual frameworks must change– Self perpetuating systems are unhelpful– Avoid ‘solving’ one problem while
creating another.
• Set clear guidelines– Establish meaningful metrics for
assessing delivery– Research must interface with policy and
practice – Training of institutions and individuals
(enable response)
PEP20, Edinburgh: Implementing the SDGs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies
Recognition of local
• Local government not at the table– Still not acknowledged – Only local governments can effect the
changes required– But, recognition and support of national
governments is required
• Local action is real, but cannot leverage policy changes (glass ceiling)– Vertical integration is essential (equal
partners)– SDG and Climate agreements must include
local government agreements
PEP20, Edinburgh: Implementing the SDGs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies
Funding at local level
• Direct access to funding is necessary– High transaction costs prohibitive to
local governments – can’t access funds easily
• Funders want clean delivery line (outputs and outcomes)– Often not possible, as our
understanding of wicked problems continues to evolve
– Systems not geared to deal with required flexibility
– Failures generates important learnings (experimentation is needed)
PEP20, Edinburgh: Implementing the SDGs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies
Questions to ask
• Current UN system – Is it working?– Nation states vs. ‘planet of cities’
• How much more time do we have?• 10-year plan needed, but as yet no
global agreement?
PEP20, Edinburgh: Implementing the SDGs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies
Way forward: Facilitation and Support
• An urban SDG won’t effect changes to the world. The change is happening regardless.
• So, the agreement should rather be facilitating and supporting of local actions that are already happening.
• A top-down approach is not useful. • UN structure needs to change.• Build linkages• Funders: reduce funding conditionality
– Conditions don’t speak to real world issues
• Effect meaningful policy changes
PEP20, Edinburgh: Implementing the SDGs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies
In Summary
• Local government – is already transforming the
world. – Will keep moving
regardless of the SDG outcomes (high urgency!).
• Facilitation of change – will ensure sharing of
learnings, and reduce mistakes
PEP20, Edinburgh: Implementing the SDGs for inclusive, climate resilient green economies
Thank you
References• Climate Smart: Buffelsdraai Community Reforestation Project https://youtu.be/GdzRJzg5IFY• Douwes E, Roy KE, Diederichs-Mander N, Mavundla K, Roberts D. 2015. The Buffelsdraai Landfill Site Community
Reforestation Project: Leading the way in community ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change. EThekwini Municipality, Durban. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3988.9442
• Roberts D, Boon R, Diederichs N, Douwes E, Govender N, McInnes A, McLean C, O’Donoghue S, Spires, M. 2012. Exploring ecosystem-based adaptation in Durban, South Africa:“learning-by-doing” at the local government coal face. Environment and Urbanization, 24(1): 167–195.
• Roberts D, O'Donoghue S. 2013 Urban Environmental Challenges and Climate Change Action in Durban, South Africa. Environment and Urbanization 25: 0956247813500904.