Four Studies and a Conference

The V-LED project has studied real cases of multi-level and collaborative climate action in Kenya, the Philippines, Colombia and South Africa and is now publishing their findings. Practitioners from Kenya and the Philippines will also participate in the ICLEI Daring Cities online conference.

Local governments are crucial to addressing climate change. As frontline responders to the effects of global warming, they can create sustainable development pathways and opportunities for resilient communities. The climate action of cities and regions is vital to pioneering transformative decarbonisation processes and achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement, but we must join forces across governing levels to ratchet up efforts and bring successful initiatives to scale.

While most actors in the arena of cities and climate change agree on the basic principles of collaborative climate governance and action, concepts such as multi-level governance, vertical integration and horizontal coordination too often remain abstract. The V-LED Real Practices of Collaborative Climate Action feature real-life examples and practical knowledge about multi-level climate governance and collaborative action from four countries on three continents. The insights gained from these examples can help guide national, regional and municipal administrators toward a climate-friendly future. Practitioners from two of the countries, Kenya and the Philippines, will also participate in panel discussions at the ICLEI Daring Cities conference (October 7–28, online) on October 19.

V-LED Real Practice Studies: A close look at four countries

The Real Practice series by the Vertical Integration and Learning for Low-Emission Development (V-LED) project highlights in-depth insights into four very different cases from Kenya, the Philippines, Colombia and South Africa. The studies target a broad audience of policy makers, practitioners and experts on national and international levels. They aim to increase practical knowledge about tried-and-tested collaborative climate governance mechanisms and policies. 

The Kenyan, Philippine and Colombian Real Practice Studies are out now and available as a free download.

The Kenyan study provides compelling insights into the County Climate Change Fund mechanism, which has led to more than 100 climate-friendly investments across five pilot counties in the country and contributes to climate resilience by building local capacities and increasing public accountability.

The Philippine study analyses how collaborative climate action can be strengthened through local climate change action plans. By building strong partnerships with national government agencies and local government associations, Ormoc City was able to secure funding for climate change projects.

The Colombian Real Practice Study reflects lessons learnt from implementing a system of Regional Climate Change Nodes to coordinate climate planning and action across the country’s diverse ecological and socio-economic regions.

Soon to follow is the South African Real Practice Study. It provides insights into the Local Government Climate Change Support Programme. Led by national government, the programme has assisted municipalities across the country to better understand and respond to climate change and unlocked barriers linked to communication challenges amongst the spheres of government.

Meet lead authors and practitioners from Kenya and the Philippines debating at Daring Cities

As the urgent response to COVID-19 is unfolding and climate impacts continue to affect cities and counties, local institutions will need to build a resilient future responding on these two fronts. The adelphi V-LED team and GIZ will co-host a side event on “Global Recovery: An Imperative for Multi-Level Governance” on the 19th of October. Panelists will discuss practical experiences of collaboration across governance levels. Participants will learn directly from local and national policymakers and their allies about common obstacles and success strategies for implementing local climate projects and access finance. Daring Cities 2020 took place online from October 7 to October 28, 2020.

About V-LED

The V-LED project works with municipalities, counties and the national government in Kenya and South Africa, supporting governance processes to unlock climate action potential where it matters most: on the ground. It supports municipal and county governments to achieve strategic and legislative milestones that empower them to become key climate change actors. The project is supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) as part of its International Climate Initiative (IKI).

Contact person: keusenadelphi [dot] de (Lisa Keusen)