RELEASE: 40 Governments and Leading Institutions Commit to Support Locally Led Climate Adaptation
Press Release - January 24, 2021
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 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).
Feature: Putting local people at the centre of climate change adaptation
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Drawing from a wide range of case studies, Lucia Scodanibbio provides evidence for why climate change adaptation must be locally-led in order to be effective.
When cyclone Amphan hit southern Bangladesh, exacerbating the impacts felt by the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the Bamia Village Savings and Lending Association had to act and find a way for the women s group to resume its activities, which had been forced to stop with the lockdown restrictions. Through a consultation with the members, a decision was taken to meet only twice per month, in reduced numbers; to create a special COVID-19 fund for the most impoverished families; and to shorten lending cycles to enable the members to respond to urgent household needs which escalated as a result of the multiple shocks being faced. At the now outdoors meetings, where members would keep strict physical distance, in addition to once again being able to st
In early 2021, a fast-growing group of experts will meet in Gobeshona to define a 10-year learning agenda to advance principles for critical locally led adaption to climate change. Saleemul Huq and Clare Shakya explain the importance of this group and the journey ahead