How can you align your climate resilience plans with global commitments?

1 Assess your risks and opportunities

The first step to align your climate resilience plans with global commitments is to assess your current and future risks and opportunities related to climate change. This involves collecting and analyzing data on your exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive potential to different climate hazards and scenarios, as well as identifying the co-benefits and trade-offs of various adaptation options. By doing this, you can prioritize the most urgent and feasible actions, as well as align them with the global targets and indicators of the relevant frameworks, such as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the SDGs.

2 Engage your stakeholders and partners

The second step to align your climate resilience plans with global commitments is to engage your stakeholders and partners in the planning and implementation process. This involves establishing inclusive and participatory mechanisms for consultation, collaboration, and feedback, as well as building trust and ownership among the different actors involved. By doing this, you can ensure that your climate resilience plans reflect the needs, preferences, and capacities of your local communities, as well as leverage the resources, expertise, and networks of your regional, national, and international partners. You can also align your plans with the principles and commitments of the New Urban Agenda, which calls for a shared vision and responsibility for urban development among all levels of government and society.

3 Integrate your policies and actions

The third step to align your climate resilience plans with global commitments is to integrate your policies and actions across sectors, scales, and time horizons. This involves adopting a holistic and systemic approach that considers the interconnections and interdependencies among the various aspects of urban development, such as land use, transportation, energy, water, waste, health, and social services. By doing this, you can avoid duplication, inconsistency, and conflict among your policies and actions, as well as maximize the synergies and co-benefits of your climate resilience measures. You can also align your plans with the objectives and strategies of the global frameworks, such as the low-carbon and climate-resilient development pathways of the Paris Agreement, the integrated and balanced approach of the SDGs, and the urban resilience framework of the 100 Resilient Cities initiative.

4 Monitor and evaluate your progress and impact

The fourth step to align your climate resilience plans with global commitments is to monitor and evaluate your progress and impact. This involves establishing and applying clear and relevant criteria, indicators, and methods to measure and report on your outputs, outcomes, and impacts, as well as to identify and address the gaps, challenges, and lessons learned. By doing this, you can track and demonstrate your achievements and contributions to the global goals and targets, as well as improve your accountability, transparency, and learning. You can also align your plans with the reporting and review mechanisms of the global frameworks, such as the enhanced transparency framework of the Paris Agreement, the voluntary national reviews of the SDGs, and the urban resilience diagnostics of the 100 Resilient Cities initiative.

5 Communicate and share your knowledge and experience

The fifth step to align your climate resilience plans with global commitments is to communicate and share your knowledge and experience. This involves developing and disseminating effective and engaging messages, stories, and evidence that can inform, inspire, and influence your audiences, such as your stakeholders, partners, peers, and the public. By doing this, you can raise awareness and understanding of your climate resilience challenges and solutions, as well as foster dialogue and exchange of good practices and lessons learned. You can also align your plans with the communication and knowledge platforms of the global frameworks, such as the Global Climate Action Portal of the Paris Agreement, the SDG Knowledge Hub of the SDGs, and the City Resilience Strategy Library of the 100 Resilient Cities initiative.

6 Adapt and innovate your approach and tools

The sixth and final step to align your climate resilience plans with global commitments is to adapt and innovate your approach and tools. This involves embracing uncertainty and complexity, as well as experimenting and learning from your failures and successes. By doing this, you can continuously update and improve your climate resilience plans, as well as respond to the changing needs, conditions, and opportunities of your urban context. You can also align your plans with the innovation and transformation agendas of the global frameworks, such as the long-term vision and ambition of the Paris Agreement, the transformative change and partnerships of the SDGs, and the urban resilience value proposition of the 100 Resilient Cities initiative.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?