Climate

Action from
the Ground Up
Supporting Cities and Local and
Regional Governments to Achieve
the Paris Agreement

2022
UN Disclaimer
The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent
those of the United Nations, including the UN Development Programme, or UN Member States.

Authors
James Vener (UNDP), Diana Lopez Caramazana (UNDP), Maria Eugenia Di Paola, Carolina Robles
and Nuria Zanzottera (UNDP Argentina), Sladjana Bundalo and Raduska Cupac (UNDP Bosnia
and Herzegovina), Pinreak Suos (UNDP Cambodia), Esteban Diego A. (UNDP Chile), Richemond
Assie and Dissahonon Marie-Sylvie Liade (UNDP Côte d'Ivoire), Evelyn Alicia García Bastidas
(UNDP Ecuador), Leslie Smith (Energy Division, Ministry of Finance, Grenada), Verania Andria, Diah
Ratna Pratiwi, Agus Prabowo, Made Dwi Rani and Abdul Situmorang (UNDP Indonesia), Heather
Maseko-Msyale and Jane Swira (UNDP Malawi), Oumar Tamboura (UNDP Mali), Rassu Manandhar
and Pragyajan Yalamber Rai (UNDP Nepal), Usman Manzoor (UNDP Pakistan), James Leslie
(UNDP Peru), Immaculee Uwimana (UNDP Rwanda), Theophile Dusengimana (Ministry of
Environment, Rwanda), Miroslav Tadic and Ana Seke (UNDP Serbia), Tanzila Watta Sankoh and
Andrew Katta (UNDP Sierra Leone), Anchidtha Roonguthai (UNDP Thailand), Merve Elibirlik, Diren
Ertekin and Nuri Ozbagdatli (UNDP Türkiye), Florencia Etulain (UNDP Uruguay)

Technical advice Copy editor

Catherine Diam-Valla, Lorenzo Eguren, Kate Jean Smith
Nataly Olofinskaya
Layout and graphic design
Peer review Omer Kavuk
Gonzalo Pizarro, Minerva Novero, Rishi
Cover photo
Chakraborty, Lisa Baumgartner
Manuth Buth, UNDP Cambodia

01
Acknowledgements
In compiling this report, UNDP Country Offices shared stories about how the expertise and passion
of local governments shone through in the NDC revision and implementation process,
strengthening it and making it a reality across territories. A sincere thanks to all of them for their
insights, analysis, and contributions to this publication.

Under the global Climate Promise, UNDP is privileged to be helping countries raise – and realize –
their ambitions for a more resilient, more just, low-carbon future.

Contact
For more information on UNDP’s Climate Promise support to the local, regional, and city levels,
please contact James Vener at [email protected].

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty,
inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170
countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. Learn
more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP

UNDP’s Climate Promise is the largest global offer on NDC support, covering over 120 countries
and territories, representing 80 percent of all developing countries globally – including 40 least
developed countries, 28 small island developing states, and 14 high emitters – to enhance their
Nationally Determined Contributions under the global Paris Agreement. Delivered in collaboration
with a wide variety of partners, it is the world’s largest offer of support for the enhancement of
climate pledges. Learn more at climatepromise.undp.org and follow at @UNDPClimate.

Copyright © UNDP 2022. All rights reserved. United Nations Development Programme | 304 East
45th Street, 10th Floor New York, NY 10017 US

02
Report Contents

Glossary 04
Work Areas 05
Introduction 06
Country Experiences 13
A. Developing and Promoting Local Policy Tools for Climate Planning 14
Chile 15
Côte D’ivoire 17
Pakistan 19
Türkiye 21
B. Targeting Climate Action Through Economic Measures and Innovation 23
Bosnia and Herzegovina 24
Ecuador 26
Grenada 28
Indonesia 30
Peru 32
Serbia 34
C. Ensuring Local and Regional Action is a Key Component of Revised Ndcs 36
Argentina 37
Mali 39
Nepal 41
Sierra Leone 42
Thailand 45
Uruguay 47
D. Enhancing Data Management Systems to Better Track Progress 49
Cambodia 50
Malawi 52
Rwanda 54
Conclusion 56
References 59

03
Glossary

AR Assessment Reports prepared by IPCC on climate change

C40 C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group
COP Conference of the Parties
GDP Gross domestic product
GHG Greenhouse gases
GIZ German Agency for International Cooperation
GWP Global Warming Potential
HFCs Hydrofluorocarbons
ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
MRV Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification
NAP National Adaptation Plan
NDC Nationally Determined Contribution
SDG Sustainable Development Goal
UCLG United Cities and Local Governments
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

04
Work Areas

Targeting Ensuring local Developing Enhancing

climate action and regional and promoting data
through action is a key local policy management
economic component of tools for systems to
measures and newly revised climate better track
innovation NDCs planning progress

Bosnia and Herzegovina Argentina Chile Cambodia

Ecuador Mali Côte d’Ivoire Malawi
Grenada Nepal Pakistan Rwanda
Indonesia Sierra Leone Türkiye
Peru Thailand
Serbia Uruguay

05
 Part 1:

Introduction

Photo: Vladimir Živojinović, UNDP Serbia 06

Introduction

From hotter temperatures and more extreme weather to rising sea levels and declining water
supplies, climate change is already impacting people, ecosystems, and livelihoods worldwide.
Every person, plant, and creature on this planet is affected.

We now have a narrow path to avoiding climate catastrophe. Already, human-induced warming
has reached about 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels. 1 To avoid dangerous warming of more than
1.5°C, we must take decisive action, enacting rapid and large-scale cuts to greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions.

Unfortunately, based on the national climate pledges (Nationally Determined Contributions, or

NDCs) submitted in the lead-up to COP-26 in November 2021, the world is well off course. Based
on best estimates provided in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth
Assessment Report released the same year, looking at very low to very high GHG emission
scenarios, the world is expected to reach 1.5-1.6°C of warming by 2040. The consequences for
human health and livelihoods, food security, water supply, human security, and economic growth
will be severe.

The role of local, regional, and urban actors

With precious little time remaining, marginalized populations – can engage in
countries worldwide must use every tool at climate action in sustained and meaningful
their disposal to pivot to a low-carbon ways.
future while building the resilience and
adaptive capacity of all their citizens. Just as local and regional governments are
direct providers of services and information
National governments have a particular that people rely on for their lives and
responsibility to drive decisive action. livelihoods, these leaders also serve as
However, every region, city, and village important sources of influence in their
also play a fundamental role. It is at the communities, and so play a prominent role
local, regional, and urban level where the in introducing important courses of action
closest interaction between people and and innovative approaches.
authorities occurs. It is at the local level
where countries find the ‘know how’ to get Civil society and private sector partners at
things done and implement climate policy. the city, state, and regional levels also play
It is at the local level that people or whole an essential role in achieving ambitious
communities, including vulnerable and emissions reduction, adaptation, and
resilience targets.

07
Introduction

Ultimately, for countries to realize and raise plans. It is through sustained collaboration
their climate ambition, countries must take and coherence across all levels of
an all-in, whole-of-government, cross- government that countries will achieve
sectoral approach with integration effective, context-specific policy design,
between the local, national, and global and implementation, tied to a unified vision.
levels and inclusion of all sections of
society. This includes women and youth, As the world builds back better from
indigenous groups, the elderly, persons with COVID-19, we now have an opportunity to
disabilities, and the private sector. prepare a more resilient, inclusive, and
sustainable recovery.
Local actors must be represented in
climate planning at all levels, and their And as the UNFCCC’s NDC synthesis report
contributions fully captured in the NDCs, as in 2021 indicated, there is a growing
well as NDC implementation and financing movement in which local, regional, and
strategies. other subnational governments are
stepping up and playing key roles in
At the same time, NDCs must be integrated climate change strategies.2
into local and subnational development

Concrete examples of climate action that can be accomplished at

the local level include efforts to make buildings more energy-
efficient, increased access to clean and affordable energy, and low-
carbon public transport. Communities and cities can scale up
sustainable waste management, produce more food locally, make
cities greener with parks and gardens, and leverage nature-based
solutions. Cumulatively, these efforts can have an enormous impact
on national, and therefore global, efforts to cut emissions, while also
providing a significant boost to local economies.

08
Introduction

% of urban global % of urban global Urban

population in 2018 population in 2050
Non-Urban

45% 32%

44% 68%

2%

40% 22%

60% 98% 78%

Current % of urban Current % of urban and Current % of urban

and non-urban non-urban land surface and non-urban
GHG emissions worldwide energy consumption
worldwide worldwide

With their outsized populations and energy consumption, cities’

contributions are crucial to climate action. More than half of the
world’s population now lives in cities, and about two-thirds of the
world’s population will be urban by 2050. Cities consume about 80
percent of the world’s energy and emit more than 70 percent of the
world’s GHGs. They also are home to over 800 million people at risk
from the impacts of rising seas and storm surges. How we manage
and build our cities, then, will be critical in the decades ahead.

08
09
Introduction

Local action under the Climate Promise

Around the world, UNDP supports climate the Climate Promise has emphasized the
action across levels of government and role of subnational actors in meeting the
from the national to community level, climate challenge.
helping countries to take bold action to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase At COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021,
resilience and adaptation to climate UNDP launched the second phase of the
impacts, and advance sustainable initiative, ‘From Pledge to Impact’ to scale
development as a whole. up support to turn NDC targets into
concrete action. This latest iteration of
In 2019, UNDP launched the Climate Climate Promise support will allow
Promise to help ensure any country wishing countries to accelerate inclusive action to
to increase the ambition of their NDC was meet their targets, while continuing to push
able to do so. UNDP supported 120 for greater ambition. Local action will be
countries, representing 80 percent of key.
developing countries globally, including 40
Least Developed Countries, 28 Small Island This report offers snapshots of 19 countries
Developing States, and 47 in fragile around the globe where central, regional,
contexts, to enhance their climate pledges and local governments have come together
and raise ambition to reduce their GHG under the Climate Promise to work towards
emissions and meet the challenges of a unified national climate strategy.
climate change. Since its inception,

54 Climate Promise 81 percent of

countries feature updated NDCs
aspects that focus on include an enhanced
urban, subnational, or level of subnational
local climate action ownership and
inclusion 6

10
 Introduction

Photo: UNDP Tanzania

The areas of support in the 19 countries are categorized into four work streams, each of which are
critical to effectively and sustainably design and implement NDCs and NDC systems:

i. Developing and promoting local policy tools for climate planning to enhance the
capacity of local experts and facilitate innovative approaches to inform decision making;

ii. Targeting climate action through economic measures and innovation to increase the flow
of climate finance and improve climate change resilience, adaptation, and mitigation;

iii. Ensuring local and regional action is a key component of newly revised NDCs through
multilevel and cooperative action from the state to local communities and ensuring NDC
systems are developed in an inclusive, cooperative manner that engages key actors across
diverse backgrounds – from local communities to large cities to the national level – taking
care to actively involve climate-vulnerable populations, women, youth, elderly, indigenous
populations, and those with disabilities; and

iv. Enhancing data management systems to better track progress to strengthen climate
data in support of enhanced transparency, stocktaking, and evidence-based decision
making.

The snapshots reflect the breadth of UNDP work underway. They also demonstrate the power of
local governments and multi-level governance to accelerate climate action, as well as the
benefits of each level working in concert.

11
References to Local, Regional, and
Urban Climate Action
There are numerous references in climate policy and literature concerning the critical role to play
by local, regional, and city actors in climate change action, covering GHG emission reductions,
resilience building, and adaptation:

The Paris Agreement (2015) highlights “the importance of the engagements of all levels of
government” in addressing climate change.

The Talanoa dialogue process and the local government-led Bonn-Fiji Accord (2017) recognize
that integrated local action is critical to address the gap between national commitments and the
goals of the Paris Agreement.

The Katowice Climate Package (2018) reaffirmed the key role that a broad range of
stakeholders, including regions and cities play in ensuring “Action for Climate Empowerment.”

The Glasgow Climate Pact (2021) notes it is vital that national responses to climate change
incorporate “multilevel and cooperative action,” including an emphasis on the role of local
communities.

The IPCC 2018 Special Report emphasized, “Pathways limiting global warming to 1.5°C with no or
limited overshoot would require rapid and far-reaching transitions in energy, land, urban and
infrastructure (including transport and buildings), and industrial systems.”

As highlighted in the 2021 UNDP Global Outlook Report: The State of Ambition, 81 percent of
updated NDCs included enhanced levels of subnational ownership and inclusion, and 24 percent
of NDCs mainstream targets in subnational development plans and/or budgets (another 29
percent indicated mainstreaming was underway).

The 2022 Working Group II contribution to the IPCC 6th Assessment Report made clear, “Future
human vulnerability will continue to concentrate where the capacities of local, municipal and
national governments, communities and the private sector are least able to provide infrastructures
and basic services.” The report further indicated, “Climate change risks to cities, settlements and
key infrastructure will rise rapidly in the mid- and long-term with further global warming,
especially in places already exposed to high temperatures, along coastlines, or with high
vulnerabilities.”

The 2022 Working Group III contribution to the IPCC 6th Assessment Report focuses on GHG
emissions and emission reduction, ominously highlighting urban emissions are on the rise from 25
GtCO2-eq (about 62 percent of the global share) in 2015 to 29 GtCO2-eq (67-72 percent of the
global share) in 2020.

12
 Part 2:

Country
Experiences

Photo: Vladimir Živojinović, UNDP Serbia 13

Country Experiences

A. Developing and promoting local policy

tools for climate planning

Innovative approaches informing local decision making

From region to city to village, there can be no sustainable development without contributions at
the local, regional, and urban levels. Multi-level governance mechanisms and those connecting
wide-ranging stakeholders across society are needed for a participatory climate response
beyond what national governments can advance on their own. Focus must be placed on providing
innovative tools and other resources to local partners to support local climate policymaking.

"…regional, national, and international climate goals are most

impactful when local governments are involved alongside higher
levels, rendering urban areas key foci of climate governance
more broadly… Increasingly, subnational actors are also
influencing their national and international governments through
lobbying efforts that call on them to adopt more ambitious
climate goals and provide more support for subnational GHG
mitigation effort.” 7

- Climate Change 2022, IPCC, 2022

14
 Country Experiences

Chile: a strategic alliance to

strengthen subnational
climate action

In Chile, rainfall shortages and extreme heat have led

to an unprecedented ‘mega-drought’ – with
consequences for agricultural livelihoods, food security,
and the health of rural communities.

Photo: Felipe Contardo, UNDP Chile 15

Chile

Background
In April 2020, Chile became the first Latin gender-responsive, and integrating
American country to share its updated NDC different levels of national administration.
with the international community. In it, they
set an unconditional absolute target – to The alliance and Subnational Agenda have
not exceed 95 MtCO2eq by 2030 – and a been invaluable tools to identify gaps and
commitment to peak emissions in 2025. challenges in implementing effective and
inclusive climate action at the local level.
To raise climate ambition at the national
and subnational levels, the Chilean The work has included delivering a
Government has emphasized the postgraduate training course on climate
enhancement of local action, including change resilience with the Center for
growing municipalities’ technical capacity; Climate and Resilience Research for over
improving information exchange between 100 professionals from municipalities
local and regional levels; developing a nationwide. More than 1,300
more efficient legal and regulatory representatives (60 percent of them
framework; further decentralizing public women) from more than 150 municipalities
decision-making; and securing greater have taken part in regional workshops.
private sector input.

Local action
"Chile is aiming for cohesion in
To this end, the Government of Chile
established a strategic alliance to create multilevel planning in the face
the basis for a Subnational Agenda for of climate change, with
Climate Action. instruments at three levels
(national, subnational, and
The alliance – consisting of the Ministry of
Environment, Secretariat for Regional local) forming the basis for
Development, Chilean Association of mitigation and adaptation
Municipalities and Association of action throughout our
Municipalities for Environmental
territory.”
Sustainability – now plays a key role in
analyzing policies, plans, and legal
initiatives related to climate action and
– Carolina Schmidt, Environmental
proposes action to bring innovation and Ministry of Chile, 2020
transformation into national climate
policies in a way that is inclusive,

16
Country Experiences

Côte D’ivoire: Thinking globally, acting

locally through territorialized NDC
implementation

“I intend to share what I learned

(during a workshop in
Yamoussoukro Autonomous
District) with my colleagues and
bring our council to consider
climate action in our triennial
programme planning.”

– Bouabré Mahi Jeanne, Director of

Development and Planning, Haut
Sassandra region, 2021

Photo: UNDP Cote

ot D'ivoire 17
Côte D’ivoire

Background
In Côte d'Ivoire, there is a disconnect local levels with the goal of amplifying
between the acknowledgment of climate implementation of its NDC.
change as an urgent national issue and its
practical incorporation into national, Through the process to design the
sectoral, and local planning. One obstacle Territorial Climate Plan, an inclusive
is the absence of territory-specific aspects framework of consultation was established
in national policy, in part due to a lack of in Bélier that is now the main tool of the
effective transfer of technical competency local government for the implementation of
from the national government to local all local development activities. This plan
governments. will be used by the Ministry of Planning and
Development as a model and reference
The government has recognized that for document for integrating climate change in
climate action to be effective, it must be future Local Development Plans – for
initiated at the local level, in a example, a territorial climate plan for the
comprehensive approach that is region- Autonomous District of Abidjan is being
specific. It has identified strengthening the developed with support of C40, building off
role of local authorities as a priority. the Bélier experience.

Local action
To address the issues, the government
piloted the development of a Territorial
Climate Plan for the region of Bélier, one
that considers local specificities and serves In Côte d'Ivoire, rising sea levels
as a blueprint for other regions nationwide.
are exacerbating coastal
The result is a planning and investment tool erosion, flooding, and inundation.
that includes mitigation and adaptation
targets, vulnerability assessments, as well as
Coastal flooding is already
identification of priorities for sustainable extremely damaging in the west
development action.
African nation, costing US$1.2
Coupled with capacity-building workshops billion each year.8
for local authorities, the plans will help
Côte d’Ivoire refine and disaggregate
national climate policy at the regional and

18
Country Experiences

Pakistan: A provincial approach to

delivering national climate policy

Photo: Jamil Akhtar, UNDP Pakistan 19

Pakistan

Background

Over the past two decades, Pakistan has witnessed a significant increase in the frequency and
intensity of climate-induced disasters, with more than US$3.8 billion in losses directly attributed
9
to climate change according to the 2021 Global Climate Risk Index. The Index ranks Pakistan
8th in the list of most vulnerable countries to climate change.

The central goal of Pakistan’s updated NDC is to realize the vision of a sustainable, low-carbon,
and climate-resilient Pakistan. By 2030, the government aims to cut projected emissions by up to
50 percent.

Local action
updated NDC targets, as well as financing
Under the leadership of the Ministry of
and building the capacity of provincial
Climate Change, the federal government
government departments.
aims to work closely with all provinces to
develop prioritized Provincial Action Plans,
The development of the plans complements
thus ensuring NDC implementation at the
efforts to update Pakistan’s National
local level.
Climate Change Policy and provides a
framework for provinces to maximize
Expected to be integrated with
adaptation, resilience, and mitigation
commitments related to the Sustainable
actions across sectors, from agriculture and
Development Goals, and with gender
water resources, to forestry, health, waste,
considerations in mind, the objective of the
and energy.
plans is to build climate resilience and
adaptive capacity, reduce GHG emissions,
Work has begun to develop provincial
and increase economic opportunities. It is
action plans for four provinces and the
critical to ensure they align with Pakistan’s
Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Pakistan faces rates of warming markedly above the global

average with a potential rise of 1.3°C–4.9°C by the 2090s,
above the 1986–2005 baseline, with consequences for
health, livelihoods, and ecosystems. 10

20
Country Experiences

Türkiye: A new online climate portal to

deliver climate action in Türkiye’s cities

Photo: Levent Kulu, UNDP Türkiye 21

Türkiye

Background
Over the last two decades, climate change-related hazards in Türkiye – notably, heatwaves,
drought, floods, storms, and forest fires – have grown more frequent and severe, impacting
livelihoods and threatening to undermine gains in poverty reduction and development.

Dependent on natural resources, and with limited capacity to cope with climate variability and
extremes, local populations are especially at risk.

Already considered highly vulnerable to drought, land

degradation and desertification, Türkiye is projected to
see a strong drop in rainfall in the coming decades. 11

Local action

To enable municipalities to address climate Emission Inventories, which allows

change impacts and mainstream concerns municipalities to calculate and report local
into development planning, Türkiye has emissions.
prioritized the development of Local
Climate Change Action Plans(known as An online climate change portal (e-YİDEP)
YİDEP). and regional vulnerability assessments have
also been developed to help local partners
To date, 11 metropolitan municipalities have enhance their access to data, strengthen
YİDEP while an ambitious national target monitoring and transparency, and create
aims to have 30 in place by 2023. consistency across e-YİDEP.
Complementary support includes assessing
One significant step towards delivery of the the social, economic, and environmental
plans has been the development of a tool impacts and benefits of proposed climate
(YSGEA), based on the Global Protocol for actions at the subnational level.
Community-scale Greenhouse Gas

22
Country Experiences

B. Targeting climate action through

economic measures and innovation

Creative approaches to raising climate finance

Countries worldwide are already allocating national resources towards climate change
mitigation, adaptation, and resilience-building as an important investment in safety and future
prosperity. Providing support to partner countries via climate-smart economic measures and
international finance is critical to improve the cost-effectiveness of climate action, create good-
quality jobs, and stimulate relevant investment to foster transition to a low-carbon economy.

“Building urban resilience is expensive and often requires

funding over and above business-as-usual expenditures. Cities
have limited funds, and often are confined in their ability to
raise/access funding due to their ineligibility for international
climate finance, their lack of creditworthiness, or their lack of
autonomy over their own budget and revenue generation.
Investment in resilience from the private sector can be
leveraged, but without proper policies or incentives, businesses
are hesitant to pay for resilience measures.” 12

- UNDP, Urban Climate Resilience: Issues Brief, 2020

23
Country Experiences

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Protecting

urban centres from flooding

Photo: Jim Marshall 24

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Background
With climate change impacts accelerating, increased flooding is a primary concern for the
government of Bosnia and Herzegovina. To date, however, national investment in flood risk
management has been relatively scarce and mainly focused on the maintenance of very old flood
defence structures, while a lack of funds has limited investment by communities and cities.

Based on the recently completed pilot project “Vrbas”, which applied a “basin approach” to flood
risk management, new climate adaptation initiatives are under development. However, many
municipalities are not able to access finance directly from the donors or allocate their own funds.

Local action
To address the issue, Bosnia and Climate Fund – to protect communities from
Herzegovina is in the process of climate change impacts and provide states
elaborating a finance strategy for the with a guide to scale up adaptation
country’s National Adaptation Plan. finance. A key focus is the combination of
green bonds and lending by Development
The finance strategy aims to improve the Finance Institutions, supported by local
ability of local municipalities to access budgets with public and private
funds – including from the global Green investments.

On 5 November 2021, heavy rainfall resulted in widespread

flash flooding across central, eastern, and southern parts
of Bosnia and Herzegovina, closing schools, prompting
evacuations, and causing power outages. Climate
projections indicate flood risk is on the rise. 13

25
 Country Experiences

Ecuador: Territorial
economic planning across
three layers of government

In 2019, Ecuador became the second country in the world

to receive financial resources from the Green Climate
Fund for having successfully reduced emissions from
deforestation. 16

Photo: APEOSAE 26
Ecuador

Background Local action

Between 2000 and 2009, deforestation In Ecuador, local planning is performed at
levels in Ecuador amounted to 109,000 three levels of government – provincial,
hectares per year, with over 99 percent of municipality, and parish – and their actions
deforested land being transformed into related to the environment and agro-
agricultural areas. 14 It has been further productive sectors are coordinated with
estimated that 4.7 percent of nationwide the central government. Climate planning is
tree cover was lost between 2000 and strengthened through subnational
2021. 15 Development Plans that include socio-
economic elements and Territorial Plans
Recognizing the value of its “green lungs”, that address physical planning.
the government has since been promoting
efforts to conserve forests and increase the To support the elaboration of these plans,
resilience of communities to cope with the Ecuador developed guidelines for the three
effects of climate change. Through levels, providing recommendations on how
initiatives such as the PROAmazonía to incorporate climate change into local
programme, bold steps have been taken to planning instruments. Topics covered
transform traditional production systems include climate change management,
into sustainable agro-production systems financing climate action, sustainable use of
that are free of deforestation. These natural resources, and preventing and
include Agricultural Schools where reducing risks.
specialists provide support to farmers to
boost productivity and a deforestation-free A new toolbox addressing the integration
certification for sustainable production, of climate change criteria in Development
currently under development. and Land Management Plans (Plan de
Desarrollo y Ordenamiento Territorial or
PDOT) has also been developed.

“The achievement of social, environmental, and economic

objectives in the Amazon requires the inclusion of criteria for
sustainable production and conservation in local planning
instruments, as well as working closely with local communities.
This is exactly what PROAmazonia has been doing, aiming at
transformational impact at the local as well as national levels.”

– Matilde Mordt, UNDP Resident Representative of Ecuador

27
Country Experiences

Grenada: Refrigeration and air

conditioning moves the needle

"By utilizing alternative

energy sources and low-
GWP (global warming
potential) refrigerants,
District Cooling is a game
changer for delivering
centralized comfort cooling
to buildings. District Cooling
must be part of the global
solution to reducing the
direct and indirect GHG
emissions associated with
air conditioners."

– Leslie Smith, Ozone

Officer, Energy Division,
Ministry of Finance,
Grenada

Photo: Ozone Unit, Energy Division, Ministry 28

of Finance, Grenada
Grenada

Background
In recent years, Grenada has experienced increasing demand for refrigeration and air
conditioning, linked to steady economic growth and increased average temperatures.

With a recent GHG inventory revealing that the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector accounts
for about 29 percent of total national GHG emissions, refrigeration and air conditioning have
become a focus in Grenada’s new NDC and National Cooling Action Plan.

A projected increase in Grenada’s mean annual

temperature, and the intensity and frequency of heat
waves, will result in a greater number of people at risk
of heat-related medical conditions. 17

Local action
In 2021, Grenada formulated its Cooling Action Plan, a strategy document for the implementation
of climate-smart and energy-efficient cooling systems, in alignment with the NDC emission
reduction targets. Work is underway to develop financial costing for its implementation, to be
completed in 2022.

The government is now developing its District Cooling potential as a long-term solution to phasing
out ozone-depleting gases, as well as phasing down other fluorinated gases including
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

District Cooling is a more efficient way to run air conditioning by using a network of buildings with
centralized cooling plants. With increased support from the government for the use of centralized
air conditioning systems on the island, District Cooling could be an important part of the national
climate mitigation strategy.

29
 Country Experiences

Indonesia: Provinces leading in a

green economy transition

Indonesia is among the top-third

of countries in terms of climate
risk, with exposure to all types of
flooding and extreme heat. The
intensity of these hazards is
projected to grow. 20

Photo: Fieni Aprilia, UNDP Indonesia 30

Indonesia

Background
Around the world, climate change poses a In West Java Province, PAGE-Indonesia has
major threat to growth and prosperity. For developed macroeconomic models (used
Indonesia, the economic impact is to inform the 2018-2023 regional
projected to be vast. One study estimated development plan), formulated a Regional
the cost – in the areas of agriculture, Low Carbon Development Plan, conducted
health, and gradual sea level rise alone – food loss and waste assessments to inform
to be 132 trillion Indonesian rupiahs in sectoral policy, and carried out
2050*1 or about US$9.8 billion. 2 environmental assessments to encourage
private sector investment in green projects.
In response to the crisis, Indonesia is aiming
to transform its economy into a driver of In Central Java and Bali, PAGE-Indonesia is
sustainability and social inclusion, as well as supporting training on systems thinking and
a catalyst for action to address system dynamics modelling as a holistic
environmental challenges. planning tool that considers economic
growth, environmental sustainability, and
To this end, the Ministry of National social inclusion.
Development Planning (BAPPENAS)
launched the Low Carbon Development
Initiative (LCDI) in 2017.

“Economic activities in West Java

Local action Province are dominated by
industry, construction, and
To accelerate the transition to a green
economy, in 2018, Indonesia joined the agriculture. It has caused high use
Partnership for Action on Green Economy of fossil fuels and reduction of land
(PAGE) comprised of five UN agencies (UN cover. The Low Carbon
Environment, ILO, UNDP, UNIDO, and
Development Initiative is a solution
UNITAR), with UNDP as the coordinating
entity on the ground. to achieve economic growth and
reduce poverty without
PAGE-Indonesia has focused on compromising environmental
strengthening LCDI outcomes at the
subnational level, including building
sustainability.”
stakeholders’ capacity, extending
communication and outreach, increasing – M. Taufiq Santoso, Head of West
private sector engagement, and driving Java Provincial Development
low-carbon policy implementation. Planning Agency (BAPPEDA)

31
Country Experiences

Peru: Enhancing water security for a

city in the desert

"We have installed a “fog-catcher” in the upper part, at a

distance of 800 meters from the community. From there,
the water flows down to the tanks that are placed at the
bottom of the hills, and then water flows to the plants we
have sown in the buffer zone of the hills."
– Ascensio Vasques, Villager and President of the
Ecological Association of Lomas de Primavera

Photo: Roobert Jiménez, SERNANP, GEF, 32

UNDP Peru
Peru

Background
In Lima, one of few megacities located in a desert, water is a scarce resource. Shortages are not
just an issue impacting the Peruvian capital – 8 million people across the country currently lack
access to drinking water, with rising access inequalities.

To address the overarching climate challenge, the government has pledged action to reduce GHG
emissions by up to 40 percent by 2030, as well as to adapt to the impacts. Ensuring reliable
access to clean water is a key focus.

Local action
To help tackle the water crisis, the government in Lima has been successfully piloting a method of
water harvesting in unique ecosystems with dense concentrations of fog, known as fog oases.

Under the pilot, fog catcher technology and an automated irrigation system distribute water to a
nursery where communities plant native tara trees. The trees are then used to reforest the fog
oases, currently threatened by land traffickers and illegal miners. A system of climate monitoring
stations alerts authorities of illegal activities that could put fog oases and water availability at
risk.

The project works with local governments to better inform local stakeholders on the value of fog
oases. To ensure local ownership and protection of the fog oases, local communities are included
in decision-making processes surrounding the initiative.

The initiative highlights how solutions to the climate crisis and other development challenges may
be found in nature. It also shows that local stakeholders are crucial actors.

Climate change has already melted 51 percent of glaciers in

Peru, diminishing an importance source of water for millions of
people downstream. 21

33
Country Experiences

Serbia: Local climate solutions through

creativity and innovation

“The growth of the company, the constant

expanding of plantations and the search for
affordable and clean energy at the same
time made us start experimenting with
biomass. After our first analyses showed that
our bio-pellet had a high calorific value,
everything started to come together. Our
plan for the annual production is to reach
3,000 tons of bio-pellet by 2023. In terms of
energy generation potential, this is equivalent
to the amount of 700 tons of coal and 200
tons of diesel fuel.”

– Novica Šutić, founder and owner of

Sanicula Ltd.

Photo: Vladimir Živojinović, UNDP Serbia 34

 Serbia

Background Local action

More than half of Serbia’s population The ongoing competition focuses on new
resides in cities, with more and more technologies, new business models, long-
people migrating from rural to urban areas. lasting change, inclusive stakeholder
Faced with this expansion, cities face a involvement, and robust responses to social
multifaceted set of challenges – how to issues such as gender equality,
deliver the required infrastructure, jobs, and unemployment, and opportunities for
services, while also ensuring green growth marginalized groups.
and equal access.
Winning projects from civil society,
In 2017, the Ministry of Environmental academia, the public sector, and business
Protection launched the Climate Smart communities have offered a wide range of
Urban Development Challenge to drive benefits beyond reducing emissions, from
creative ideas and community engagement reduced pollution and waste to new green
around reducing GHG emissions, creating jobs, including in rural and isolated
green jobs, and improving public services communities.
related to urban development.
Thus far, the initiative has raised blended
finance to decrease 500,000 tons of GHG
emissions in cities.

One winner receiving support is public

In 2014, some of the heaviest utility company Toplana-Šabac which
rainfalls and floods on record established a new control system
architecture (SCADA) for oversight and
affected more than 20 percent management of heat distribution in the city
of Serbia’s population and of Šabac, increasing energy efficiency in
district heating systems using smart data.
caused US$ 2 billion in Another winner was an essential oils
manufacturer, Sanicula, which achieved
damages.22 Flood risk is carbon-neutrality by replacing fossil fuels in
projected to increase.23 production with pellets from plant residues.

35
Country Experiences

C. Ensuring local and regional action is a

key component of newly revised NDCs

Forging multilevel and cooperative action, from the state to

local communities
Experts at the local, regional, and urban levels offer unique insights and capacity to strengthen
NDC planning and implementation. These experts play key roles as implementers of climate
policies at the technical level – they are also plugged into local communities as institutions of
trust, provide vital services, and generate valuable on-the-ground climate data that is critical to
informing national and global climate policy. Multilevel, cooperative action needs to be central in
national NDC implementation strategies.

“Subnational governments and local stakeholders are key

implementers of national policies and have access to critical
climate data, allowing them to identify and address local
contributions to adaptation and mitigation, local GHG
emissions, and the local impacts of climate change. The
importance of subnational governments in the climate arena has
been increasingly recognized over the past several years, most
notably in the Paris Agreement itself. However, coordinating the
actions of subnational governments with the national level—or
receiving formal recognition in international fora—can remain a
challenge.” 24

- NDC Partnership, Insight Brief, 2020

36
Country Experiences

Argentina: Training and engagement at

the heart of a provincial approach to
climate planning

Photo: UNDP Argentina 37

Argentina

Background
Since 1980, extreme rainfall events have increased threefold in Argentina; by the end of the
century, the northeast of the country is likely to experience increased rainfall while the southern
regions could experience the opposite. 25

In Argentina’s enhanced NDC the government has committed to cap emissions at 359 metric
tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030. The government has also pledged to increase
Argentinians’ awareness of climate change, and to increase adaptation and resilience. A total of
35 adaptation measures are to be carried out, prioritizing vulnerable communities.

Local action
With Argentina’s 24 provinces playing a prominent role in developing national climate policies, and
leading the articulation of subnational action plans, their sustained commitment is critical to
climate action.

Provincial climate change authorities meet twice annually as part of a roundtable in support of the
National Cabinet for Climate Change to define and revise relevant plans. Bi-monthly meetings
bring together a diverse array of provincial technical teams to share progress, challenges, and
lessons learned in the preparation of Provincial Climate Change Response Plans.

Progress has been made in the identification of subnational measures in the energy, forestry, and
agriculture sectors.

A training course has been developed to strengthen the technical capacity of local experts in
areas including adaptation and resilience strategies, monitoring and reporting, building GHG
inventories, mitigation alternatives, legal frameworks, governance, and communications and
participatory aspects of climate policy.

The projected rise in temperatures in Argentina

will likely exacerbate existing tensions around
water usage, especially during the dry seasons.

38
Country Experiences

Mali: Decentralization as a key factor

in NDC design

“Climate change is a sad reality for Mali,

… threatening key sectors for the
country's development, aggravating
environmental degradation and calling
into question … efforts to reduce poverty.
I invite local actors to get involved in the
fight against the effects of climate
change and to take ownership of local
adaptation measures and strategies.”

– Colonel Lamine Kapory Sanogo,

Governor of Koulikoro region, translation
from French

Photo: Aurélia Rusek, UNDP Mali 39

Mali

Background
Mali has recognized that climate change adaptation and resilience is not the sole responsibility of
the national government. Rather, the country has adopted a holistic approach involving a diversity
of stakeholders, including civil society and local authorities, the private sector, and development
partners.

Historic climate variability has resulted in an

extensive migration from Mali’s north to Sikasso and
Bamako in the south.

Local action
While the national government has been promoting decentralization – including local governments
initiating their own social, cultural, and economic development plans – implementation of climate
action at the local level has been limited to date.

In response, Mali has looked to strengthen the participation of regional and local representatives
in climate-related decision-making.

In the development of the revised NDC, in-person dialogues were conducted with over 400
participants including representatives of regional technical services (agencies from national
ministries located in the regions), local elected officials, subnational governments, civil society
organisations, private sectors, women’s groups, and youth groups. It was a major departure from the
2015 NDC development process that did not substantially involve regional and local stakeholders.

Notably, the consultations shone a light on the socio-economic impacts of climate change in each
region, areas with natural resource fragility, and vulnerabilities in agriculture and infrastructure.

They also identified gaps in technical capacity and management structure, critical for a more
participatory process and more effective local planning going forward.

40
Country Experiences

Nepal: Provincial planning in Nepal’s

NDC formulation

Photo: UNDP Nepal 41

Nepal

Background
In support of its ambitious pledge to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, Nepal has been
seeking buy-in from all relevant stakeholders.

The approach is crucial in the context of Nepal’s transition to a federal system of governance and
ensuring enhanced national ownership of the NDC process.

Local action
To raise awareness of the NDC enhancement process, take stock of provincial priorities, and
collect inputs from provincial and local government stakeholders, the government conducted a
series of provincial consultation workshops.

A total of 280 representatives from provincial and local governments, sectoral directorates, district
coordination committees, provincial federations, civil society organizations, academic institutes,
private sectors, youth groups, and the media took part in consultations in Biratnagarof Province 1,
Janakpurdham of Madesh Province, and Pokhara of Gandaki Province.

Engagements also enabled identification of provincial plans based on provincial development

priorities and climate targets with reference to provincial approach papers, budgets, annual
plans, and municipal level plans.

In consultation with provincial governments, the government is now finalizing the Provincial Climate
Change Strategy and Action Plan for all seven provinces of Nepal.

If the world does not dramatically reduce

emissions, Nepal faces losing 2.2 percent of
annual GDP due to climate change by
2050, rising to 9.9 percent by the end of the
century. 1

42
Country Experiences

Sierra Leone: Localizing the national

response to climate change

More than three quarters of

Sierra Leone’s rural population
depend on farming for their
primary livelihood, leaving them
vulnerable to climate variability
and shocks. 27

Photo: UNDP Sierra Leone 43

Sierra Leone

Background
Due to climate change and deforestation, Sierra Leone is increasingly at risk of severe floods and
storms, with impacts on agriculture, fisheries, infrastructure, and biodiversity.

To mitigate these challenges and build climate resilience, Sierra Leone has been promoting
community forest development and alternative livelihoods for groups of women and youths who
heavily rely on charcoal for their livelihoods. Another priority is strengthening the capacity of local
government and stakeholders to tackle wildfires, deforestation, and other challenges at the
community level.

“Fighting climate change is the responsibility of every

Sierra Leonean citizen and that [battle] collectively
we will win.”
– Masayeli N’than, Paramount Chief, Gbanti Chiefdom,
Bombali District, Northern Province

Local action
The vision of Sierra Leone’s 2015 NDC was to create harmony between the economy, environment,
and social priorities, including a shift to a greener economy. In its enhanced NDC, the government
made a concerted effort to take the NDC dialogue to the grassroots level and to raise the
ambition of mitigating emissions by 2030.

Consultations withlocal Council and Chiefdoms, communities, civil society, and the private sector
sought to deepen conversations and strengthen ownership of the new NDC and corresponding
climate actions at national and subnational levels.

Regional awareness-raising workshops in Makeni, Kenema, Bo, and Freetown included sector-
specific dialogues and discussed how to enable local actors to act on climate change.

Feedback from the discussions were fed into the revised NDC.

44
 Country Experiences

Thailand: Integrating gender into local

climate action

Projections indicate the number of people

in Thailand affected by extreme river
floods could increase by more than 2
million by 2035–2044, and coastal
flooding could affect a further 2.4 million
people by 2070–2100. 29

Photo: UNDP Thailand 45

Thailand

Background Local action

Between 2009 and 2013, more than 50 of To facilitate the shift, a handbook for
Thailand’s 77 provinces were affected by Integrating Gender and Social Inclusion in
natural disasters – nearly 1,500 lives were Climate Change Budget Formulation was
lost, primarily due to floods. Heat-related developed and piloted in two provinces –
deaths are on the rise too, especially Maha Sarakham and Uthai Thani.
among farmers and people aged over 60,
as well as general laborers and school In Maha Sarakham alone, 240 households
children under 15, with heat deaths were surveyed and focus group discussions
expected to further increase among the conducted to assess climate impacts and
elderly population over the next several vulnerabilities. Community leaders, women,
decades. 28 youth, and elderly participants provided
valuable feedback on issues related to
One of Thailand’s priorities in addressing climate policy, including local concerns of
the climate crisis is the greater repeated droughts and floods.
incorporation of gender and social
inclusion into subnational public climate Provincial consultations were conducted
investments and project and budget with government agencies and community
formulation. representatives in August 2021 on proposed
community projects. A national workshop
One mechanism for this shift is the scaling- was conducted in March 2022 as well.
up of institutional capacity to assess the
dimensions of climate change impacts and
vulnerabilities (including sex, age, level of
education, health, livelihood, and
employment).

“I wish there were reservoirs and check dams to

ensure water supply all year round. Then there would
be no need to buy water from elsewhere.”
– Amornrat Jignhok, Farmer

46
Country Experiences

Uruguay: National adaptation planning

in cities

Photo: DINAGUA Uruguay 47

 Uruguay

Background Local action

With around 95 percent of Uruguay’s Launched in May 2018, the NAP-Cities
population residing in urban areas – and project is focused on building the adaptive
expected to grow in coming years – the capacity and resilience of cities and their
impacts of climate change on its cities are infrastructure while integrating adaptation
of utmost concern. into policies, programmes, and activities
that apply to city and local planning.
Reducing the vulnerability of cities and
infrastructure is a key priority for the To this end, NAP-Cities developed a guide
government and features prominently in the on incorporating adaptation into local
country’s National Adaptation Plan for land use plans, completed an evaluation of
Cities and Infrastructure. climate hazards in urban areas, and
provided technical support for city plans.

The involvement of technicians at the

national, departmental, and local levels, as
well as representatives of organized civil
society organizations, is considered
The primary extreme climate essential in achieving its goals. Annual plans
were developed to equip local actors with
events in Uruguay are floods and resources to make contributions to the NAP
droughts. Severe floods in 2019 and gather local data.

saw more than 17,600 A wide diversity of actors was involved in

Uruguayans evacuated from the formulation of the NAP itself. More than
1,700 participants from the public and
their homes. 30 private sectors, academia, and civil society
– including children, young people, and
teachers – took part in workshops and
consultations. A postgraduate university
course was also designed for professionals,
covering climate change in cities.

48
Country Experiences

D. Enhancing data management systems

to better track progress

Strengthening climate data in support of enhanced

transparency, stocktaking, and evidence-based decision-
making
Data management at the local, national, and global levels enables the understanding and
forecasting of policy alternatives to support mitigation, adaptation, and resilience-builidng. Data
marks damage caused by the climate crisis thus far, tracks our progress, and maps climate
ambition, but also models future climatic conditions and assesses the viability of potential solutions
to the crisis.

“Often the implementation of data collection and Monitoring,

Reporting and Verification (MRV) (in the context of the
transparency frameworks under the UNFCCC) falls on
subnational government. Coordinated discussions are needed
between city and national levels to ensure data collection and
indicators are aligned and realistic… Many cities have already
developed a GHG inventory or resilience tracking tools, however
harmonising and standardising data collection is still not
consistent, which makes aggregation at a national level
challenging – although it is possible.”

- UN-Habitat, Enhancing Nationally Determined Contributions

through Urban Climate Action, 2020

49
Country Experiences

Cambodia: A multi-level approach to

protect communities from droughts and
flooding

“My commune members came to me to tell

me it was such a good thing because they
received a warning from the Provincial
Committee before the flood arrived! It
alerted them to the impending disaster and
helped them to prepare.”
– Try Teang, Boeng Pruol Commune Chief

Photo: UNDP Cambodia 50

Cambodia

Background
In light of hotter temperatures, increasing variability in the monsoon season, and increasing
severity and frequency of floods and droughts, Cambodia is committed to strengthening its
climate resilience.

Working together with provincial authorities and communities, the country is setting up an
automated nation-wide hydro-meteorological monitoring network, further implementing a
centralized approach to water resources management, and establishing a national climate and
flood early warning system, including a service centre and flood emergency response plans for all
provinces by 2030.

Local action
In partnership with local authorities and communities, Cambodia has installed 53 automatic
hydrology and weather stations to digitize the collection of climate data (rainfall, water levels,
and temperatures) and enhance capacity for early warning.

Real-time data from these weather stations is centralized in an online integrated water
management system. When an event such as flooding is detected or predicted, a voice recording
is sent to mobile phones of registered users in the areas at risk.

Meanwhile, to address drought risk, Drought Infohubs have been established in eight provinces.
These Infohubs provide support to provincial authorities to predict droughts and coordinate early
response to reduce losses, which will help approximately six million people that live in these areas.

Projected climate change trends indicate

more severe floods and droughts in
Cambodia, cutting GDP by nearly 10
percent by 2050. 31

51
Country Experiences

Malawi: Strengthening its local climate

response through financial data tracking

Photo: UNDP Malawi 52

 Malawi

Background “It’s crucial for local and

Malawi is highly vulnerable to climate subnational officials to take the
change and has suffered from the lead in implementing climate
increasing frequency of extreme weather
policy. To do so, they need tools
events, in particular higher temperatures
and erratic rainfall patterns.
to accurately monitor and report
local climate action. This will
In response, the country has put in place a prove crucial during
comprehensive climate change
implementation of the NDC.”
management policy framework. However,
mobilizing the finance required to – Tawonga Mbale-Luka, Director,
implement climate change programmes
remains challenging.
Environmental Affairs Department,
Malawi
As one means of overcoming these
challenges, the Environmental Affairs
Department has prioritized the Local action
establishment of an online climate finance More than 100 District Environmental
management information system to better Officers and other city government staff
track climate finance flows, both within the have been trained to collect and input
country and from partners abroad. data into the system using a standard
template.

The new system serves to improve

communication and cooperation among
In Malawi, droughts and floods sectors – such as agriculture, forestry, and
biodiversity – by standardizing data
have increased in frequency, collection methods and setting nationwide
intensity, and magnitude over guidelines.

the past 20 years, with dire It also allows users from the Central
consequences for food and Government and District Councils to
generate reports for a range of purposes,
water security, energy resources, utilizing a vast array of datasets while
feeding into project tracking to ensure
and livelihoods of rural
efficient delivery. Meanwhile at the
communities. 32 national level, the Environmental Affairs
Department is more effectively able to
back up data on District Level climate
projects, with information available to
inform policymaking, even when offline.

53
Country Experiences

Rwanda: Data-driven NDC

approaches at the district level

Photo: UNDP Rwanda 54

Rwanda

Background
Led by the Ministry of Environment, Rwanda is taking a strong, data-driven approach towards
analyzing GHG emissions and establishing NDC targets across a wide range of sectors.

One key aspect of the data management process has been an online results-based monitoring
and evaluation system for tracking the performance of sectors and districts.

Local action
Rwanda has recently upgraded the system’s indicators and metadata to incorporate NDC
indicators as they relate to national priorities – for example, the percentage reduction in GHG
emissions from power generation, number of energy-efficient lights installed in buildings, number
of electric vehicles, and percentage of households using off-grid and rooftop solar electrification.

With data collection and reports submitted at the sector and district levels, the Ministry of
Environment has invested in training 42 District Environment Officers and Planners, from all 30
districts, in applying the new indicators and integrating the NDC into District Annual Action Plans.

For the first time, 2021-2022 District Annual Action Plans contain integrated NDC indicators.

In support of long-term sustainability, sectoral and thematic working groups have been
established. The working groups convene regularly to validate district and sector data that is
incorporated into key reporting to the UNFCCC, including GHG inventory National
Communications reports and Biennial Update Reports.

Rwanda is highly vulnerable to impacts from

climate
07 change in part through its high

dependence on rain-fed agriculture – the

agriculture sector presently employing over 70
percent of the working population. 33

55
 Part 3:

Conclusion

Photo: Ngoc Vuong 56

Conclusion

Limiting the planet’s warming to 1.5°C will remain beyond our reach unless we enact immediate
and deep emissions reductions across sectors. 4 Unfortunately, in yet another dramatic call to
action, the IPCC has highlighted that – based on an assessment of projected global GHG
emissions in 2030 as referenced in the round of updated NDCs submitted ahead of COP26 – this
1.5°C goal is not likely to be achieved during the 21st Century. 31

As the window of opportunity narrows, countries must explore all avenues to meet and continue to
raise the ambition of their climate targets. They must maximize their potential and resources at all
levels. And they must coordinate a whole-of-society response that integrates action from all
quarters.

Incorporating a strong local, regional, and urban element in climate action offers many concrete
benefits that are illustrated in the snapshots presented in this report. Notably:

Leaders at local, regional, and Climate planning, including

1 city levels play a critical role in 4 processes related to NDCs and
connecting with and influencing NDC implementation
their communities, often strategies, must be inclusive
manifesting from a high level of and collaborative, capturing
trust. contributions from all levels
including those most impacted
Individuals and communities – by the climate crisis.
2 including those most vulnerable
Cities, towns, and villages are
to climate impacts and
marginalized populations – can
5 complex systems where the
changing climate can have
actively engage in climate
cascading effects across
action at a local level.
sectors. An integrated, whole-
of-government, whole-of-
The NDC is a country’s action
3 society approach to climate
plan to cut emissions and
action maximizes the expertise
adapt and build resilience to
and ‘know-how’ of local and
climate impacts. NDCs cannot
regional experts.
be a top-down process, rather
they need to be integrated into Steering responses to the
local and subnational 6 climate crisis with a strong
development plans to enable data-driven foundation
consistency, collaboration, and enables evidence-based
coherence across all levels of decision-making, increasing
government for a more unified transparency and
national vision. accountability.

57
Conclusion

From communities protecting fog oases for water harvesting in Peru, to provincial Drought Infohubs
across Cambodia, to the piloting of Territorial Climate Plans in Côte d'Ivoire, some of the greatest
sources of inspiration for bold climate action are coming from the local, regional, and urban
levels. In partnership with a diverse group of partners – from governments, city authorities, local
communities, and climate leaders at all levels – UNDP is supporting countries to more sustainably
design and implement NDCs, striving to leave no one behind.

As highlighted in this report, countries and UNDP are working together to prioritize strengthening
and integrating local expertise through the use of local policy tools for climate planning, to more
impactfully inform decision-making. Climate-smart economic measures and technical innovation
are taking center stage in the formulation of viable and ambitious climate strategies.

Local and regional action is a key component of newly revised NDCswith subnational governments
working closely with their communities (inclusive of climate-vulnerable populations, women, youth,
elderly, indigenous populations, and populations with disabilities) and joining forces with their
respective national governments via meaningful consultation and strategic partnerships. Emphasis
is also being placed on enhanced climate-related data management systems, providing a greater
basis for evidence-based decision-making while enhancing transparency.

Under the Climate Promise, UNDP will continue to work with governments at all levels to unlock
their potential.

‘From Pledge to Impact’, there is no time to lose.

58
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60
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