Forty governments and leading institutions commit to support locally led climate adaptation
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UNCCD Library
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Climate emergency threatens to push 130 million people into extreme poverty by 2030, yet local people are often left out of decisions and funding; momentum emerges to shift status quo
Forty governments, leading global institutions and local and international NGOs, including the United Kingdom and Irish governments, UN Development Programme, Climate Investment Funds, Zurich Investment Group, BRAC and Slum Dwellers International, have committed to a new set of principles to ensure climate adaptation is led by local people. ‘The Principles for Locally Led Adaptation’ are launched today at the start of the Climate Adaptation Summit (25 January).
IIED, World Resources Institute and International Centre for Climate Change and Development facilitated the principles’ development with over 50 other organisations under the Global Commission for Adaptation, steered by commissioners Sheela Patel, of Slum Dwellers International, and BRAC executive director Dr Muhammad Musa.
The principles are being released as vulnerable populations face devastation from the climate emergency, COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout, which are expected to push more than 150 million people into extreme poverty by this year.
Climate change is potentially pushing 130 million more people below the poverty line by 2030 (PDF). Yet people living in poverty rarely have the power and money to build resilience to these crises.
‘The Principles for Locally Led Adaptation’ are informed by the voices and priorities of women and men who are most affected by the impacts of the climate emergency in developing countries. Local actors have the experience and knowledge to inform which solutions will enable them to develop and thrive in the face of climate change. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates local actors are often the first to respond to crises.
The principles provide a guide on how to change the standard ‘business as usual’ top-down approach for how climate finance is currently directed, to a ‘business unusual’ model, where decisions are made at the lowest appropriate level on where and how this money and support are used.
Under ‘The Principles for Locally Led Adaptation’, signatories commit to eight principles:
Devolve decision making to the lowest appropriate level
Address structural inequalities faced by women, young people, children, disabled, displaced, Indigenous Peoples and marginalised ethnic groups
Provide more patient, predictable and accessible funding so it is long term, flexible and does not come with numerous strings attached
Invest in local capabilities to leave an institutional legacy
Build a robust understanding of climate change impacts, risk and uncertainty
Provide flexible programming and learning
Ensure meaningful transparency and accountability, and
Enable collaborative action and investment.
Read further from the link above
Forty governments, leading global institutions and local and international NGOs, including the United Kingdom and Irish governments, UN Development Programme, Climate Investment Funds, Zurich Investment Group, BRAC and Slum Dwellers International, have committed to a new set of principles to ensure climate adaptation is led by local people. ‘The Principles for Locally Led Adaptation’ are launched today at the start of the Climate Adaptation Summit (25 January).
IIED, World Resources Institute and International Centre for Climate Change and Development facilitated the principles’ development with over 50 other organisations under the Global Commission for Adaptation, steered by commissioners Sheela Patel, of Slum Dwellers International, and BRAC executive director Dr Muhammad Musa.
The principles are being released as vulnerable populations face devastation from the climate emergency, COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout, which are expected to push more than 150 million people into extreme poverty by this year.
Climate change is potentially pushing 130 million more people below the poverty line by 2030 (PDF). Yet people living in poverty rarely have the power and money to build resilience to these crises.
‘The Principles for Locally Led Adaptation’ are informed by the voices and priorities of women and men who are most affected by the impacts of the climate emergency in developing countries. Local actors have the experience and knowledge to inform which solutions will enable them to develop and thrive in the face of climate change. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates local actors are often the first to respond to crises.
The principles provide a guide on how to change the standard ‘business as usual’ top-down approach for how climate finance is currently directed, to a ‘business unusual’ model, where decisions are made at the lowest appropriate level on where and how this money and support are used.
Under ‘The Principles for Locally Led Adaptation’, signatories commit to eight principles:
Devolve decision making to the lowest appropriate level
Address structural inequalities faced by women, young people, children, disabled, displaced, Indigenous Peoples and marginalised ethnic groups
Provide more patient, predictable and accessible funding so it is long term, flexible and does not come with numerous strings attached
Invest in local capabilities to leave an institutional legacy
Build a robust understanding of climate change impacts, risk and uncertainty
Provide flexible programming and learning
Ensure meaningful transparency and accountability, and
Enable collaborative action and investment.
Read further from the link above
Keywords
climate change adaptation
local communities
decision making