The importance of local governance in climate action

Given the critical role governance plays in advancing sustainable development, its importance to climate action cannot be overstated. To begin with, the unique value of local governance to climate action lies in its capacity to identify the most relevant and urgent climate challenges faced by communities as climate challenges are often a highly localized affair. 

The impacts of climate change experienced by people varies from community to community and its impact on people’s livelihoods varies between men and women, the privileged and the vulnerable, the old and the young, and the ones with resources and those without. 

Identifying the nuances of climate change and its impact on human livelihoods requires local knowledge and local governance has the unique positioning to foster an accurate and community-based understanding of climate challenges, which is critical to formulating effective climate action. For example, in Tuvalu, the UNDP-supported Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (TCAP) has been instrumental in developing Island Strategic Plans that integrate climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction, empowering local communities to manage their own climate resilience. 

Moreover, local governance has comparative advantages in producing effective results and sustainable impacts due to its capacity to foster integrated solutions that directly address local vulnerabilities and leverage local resources. For instance, local governments are in a prime position to foster collaborations among governing bodies, the private sector, and communities to co-create locally led climate solutions, building a culture of sustainability and resilience at the community level.

How can local governance enhance climate action? 

Good local governance can strengthen climate action in at least three aspects. First, local planning and budgeting manages regulations and activities that have direct, indirect, deliberate, and unintended impact on climate challenges. Inclusive, participatory, and accountable local planning and budgeting ensures that the needs of local communities, including the vulnerable and marginalized groups, to address climate challenges are heard, responded to, and prioritized in local development planning. 

Second, public goods and services that impact climate action can help build climate resilience. This involves solution design and implementation that are driven by real-time data, forward-looking, innovative, and adaptable approaches. Innovative governance models that prioritize community listening, sensemaking, co-creation, and portfolio design have demonstrated the added value in creating effective public goods and services addressing climate-related issues. 

In addition, local monitoring and evaluation track the progress of climate interventions, reflect the evolving challenges and needs in local communities, and provide timely guidance for adaptation in climate action. Anticipatory, adaptive, and agile governance models allow for real-time monitoring and adaptation of climate strategies, ensuring that measures remain relevant and effective in the face of evolving climate challenges for local communities.  

UNDP is committed to strengthening good governance principles including inclusion, participation, effectiveness, rule of law, accountability, and transparency at the local level to enhance climate action.