Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation plans,

policies and investments

Perceptions of Climate Change Progress and Challenges in Urban

Climate Adaptation Planning; Results of a Global Survey by JoAnn Carmin, Nikhil Nadkarni, and Christopher Rhie

Survey sent to members of ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability 468 Cities (44% completed the 40- question survey) 79% Cities worldwide report change in climate over the past five years 68% Cities report that they are pursuing adaptation planning

Progress and Challenges in Urban Climate Adaptation Planning; Results of a Global Survey by JoAnn Carmin, Nikhil Nadkarni, and Christopher Rhie

Latin American and Canadian Cities have the highest rates of engagement (95% and 92% respectively)

According to JoAnn Carmin's article a greater proportion of cities in Latin America are engaged in climate adaptation and planning than any other region

Challenges in Adaptation Planning1) Funding For Adaptation85% of Cities worldwide agree that funding is one of the major challenges in advancing in adaptationAround 60% are not receiving any support for their adaptation activities

2) Communicating the need for adaptation to elected officials and local departmentsaccording to survey 7% cities believe national governments understand the realities of adaptation (30% of National governments have no understanding of realities cities face)

3) Gaining commitments of National Government for Local adaptation challenges

Resilient Cities: Case Studies

Quito and Mexico City Working from Local to Global

Examples of climate change initiatives motived by endogenous factors and sustained through local actors

BackgroundCountry: Ecuador

City: Quito

Population: 2.24 Million

Quito, Ecuador

Climate Change Risks: drought, heavy rain, flooding, landslides

Quito has a subtropical climate. Steep slopes, ravines and gorges define its urban landscape

In recent years Quito has been extremely vulnerable to climate change. Floods and landslides contribute to local vulnerability. More than 670 thousand people live in areas classified as high-risk.

Quito is one of the first municipalities in Ecuador to address environmental issues.

Quito has a history of planning and preparing for extreme events

1999- Risk management plans respond to the rain as not 'normal' and that climatic impacts are the cause for vulnerability.

BackgroundQuito, Ecuador

Planning for Climate Change Events and Actors

2006 - Mayor Paco Moncayo and Metropolitan council organise Clima Latino a climate change conference for the Andean community

Quito, Ecuador

Planning for Climate Change Events and Actors

2007- Gonzalo Ortiz, a metropolitan Councilor receives support from the council and the mayor to create an Inter-Institutional Commission after report on temperature and Glacial changes

Inter-Institutional Commission

Key figures Municipal representatives (air and

water corporations)

Members from metropolitan office for environment

Members of Strategic Research Unit

Task Prepare draft on climate strategy

for Quito

Quito Strategy for Climate Change (EQCC)

Released in Feb 2008 and formally approved by the Metropolitan Council in Oct 2009 the EQCC has become the official environmental policy in Quito *

* At the same time EQCC was approved Quito created a Climate Change Office within the Environmental office

Quito, Ecuador

Quito, Ecuador

Keys factors attributing to Quito's success

1) Understanding climate change as a real threat to the city

2) Strong commitment of the Local Government

3) The advancement of local priorities- strategy plan was a result of generating ideas internally, experimenting and innovating

Why use Quito's example? No national laws, policies, or international frameworks

guided or supported Quito's effort. Quito received support from bilateral funding and

development banks but neither agencies imposed their personal agenda or requirements (the resources were used to advance already existing initiatives)

Quito involved local NGO's

Quito, Ecuador

Mexico City

WEEK 2

Mexico City, Mexico

BackgroundCountry: Mexico

Capitol: Mexico City

Population: 8,85 million

Climate Change Risks: flooding, droughts, other water relevant hazards.

BackgroundAround 88 per cent of all GHG emissions in Mexico City are attributed to energy

consumption in the form of fossil fuels and electricity used in transportation, industry, trade, housing, or services.

Mexico City, Mexico

The Mexico City government shares the vision emerging from the most recent conclusions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which establishes that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, global warming is a reality.

Like Quito the most vulnerable groups in Mexico city are at risk (they are more likely to be affected by heavy rain and drought). Groups at risk have fewer resources to cope with catastrophes and require longer recuperation time.

Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City municipality recognises climate change

risk and in 2007 implements a green management initiative publishing a 15-year cross disciplinary Green Plan (Plan Verde) to run until the year 2021

The plan, which has the backing of the World Bank and the United Nations, consists of 26 strategies and 113 special focus areas

Mitigation/Adaptation Geared toward the reduction

of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) and CO2

A total of 26 GHG mitigation actions proposed

Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico City, Mexico In 2008 the Green Plan creates the Mexico City

Action Plan. The action plan is aimed at supporting new initiatives as well as already existing efforts.

Programme serves as the first instrument of public policy planning on climate change in Mexico aimed at mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

5 objectives of Action Programme1) To influence behavioural patterns, habits, and attitudes of the

City's population so as to mitigate climate change

2) To attract investments and financing

3) To promote technological innovations

4) To position Mexico City and its government as national and international leaders in the field of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions

5) To set out guidelines for public policies

Mexico City, Mexico

Climate Action Program Results

7.7 ton reduction of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2) emission over the 4 year period. It surpassed its goal by 10.2%

In addition Mexico City met the second goal of the program: implementing a fully operational program on climate change adaptation, including forestry, agriculture, health, poverty and biodiversity.

Mexico City ResultsReduction across multiple sectors

Transportation: 4.8M tons CO2e (62% of total emissions reductions)

Waste management: 1.2M tons CO2e (15.3% “ “ “ “)

Carbon sequestration by reforestation: 893,471 tons CO2e (11.6% “ ” ” ”)

Energy efficiency: 834, 529 tons CO2e (10.8 % “ “ “ “)

Water management: 4,670 tons CO2e (0.1% “ “ “ “)

Why use Mexico City's example?

Mexico City’s Climate Action Programme served as the first instrument of public policy planning on climate change in Mexico, and provides a foundation for the country’s leadership on environmental issues in the international arena.

High degree of public participation and engagement in environment-related issues

Sources

Carmin, J., Nadkarni, N., Rhie, C. 2012. Progress and Challenges in Urban Climate Adaptation Planning: Results of a Global Survey. Cambridge, MA: MIT

Carmin,J., Anguelovski, I., Roberts, D. 2012. Urban Climate Adaptation in the Global South: Planning in an Emerging Domain. Journal of Planning Education and Research. 32(1) 18-32

Martínez, O.V, Beatriz del Valle Cárdenas, B. V, Álvarez, S.S. (eds) 2008. Mexico City Climate Action Program 2008-2012/ Summary. World Bank, Washington, DC

Final report of Mexico City’s 2008-2012 Climate Action ProgramDownload available on-http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/09/13/mexico-city-meets-exceeds-climate-action-program-goals/

10 highlights of mexico city's climate action programhttp://www.mexicocityexperience.com/green_living/

Mexico City: Successful environmental managementhttp://www.dac.dk/en/dac-cities/sustainable-cities-2/all-cases/social-city/mexico-city-successful-environmental-management/

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