References to local governments in LCA negotiating text
One of the key components of the Local Government Climate Roadmap is the intensive advocacy work by means of numerous bilateral meetings with national delegations at the UN preparatory negotiation meetings, for example, during the Bonn Climate Change Talks in March/April, June 2009 and August 2009.
These meetings convey the message to negotiating nations that cities and local governments expect a strong, ambitious and comprehensive UN post-2012 climate agreement to effectively tackle climate change. Furthermore, local governments request negotiating nations to provide them with the necessary empowerment and recognition of their roles so that, within their political and legal powers, they can effectively contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation.
As a result of these efforts and the unique partnership between various local government networks, successful advocacy work has led to over 100 references to sub-national and local government, local communities, local policies, and local resources in the revised negotiating text on Long-term Co-operative Action (LCA) under the UNFCCC that was published on 15 September 2009.
- Chapter I on "A shared vision for long-term cooperative action" among the Parties states that the active participation of all stakeholders […] should be sought […] including subnational and local governments.
- Chapter II on "Enhanced Action on adaptation and its means of implementation" contains currently 59 references to subnational and local government, in particular
- under the objectives, scope, and guiding principles of adaptation
- under implementation of adaptation actions and means for implementation
- under risk reduction and management; and
- under institutional arrangements
Many negotiating nations nations, such as Australia, Mexico, USA and Senegal, recognize the relevance of subnational and local governments in adaptation actions.
- Chapter III on "Enhanced action on mitigation" contains currently 26 references to subnational and local government. These can be found under NAMAS (Nationally appropriate mitigation actions by developing countries), supported by nations such as Senegal, Uruguay and the Group 77, and under the subchapter dedicated to REDD/Deforestation in developing countries, supported by nations such as Brazil.
- Chapter IV on "Enhanced action on financing, technology and capacity building contains currently 14 references.
Up to and at COP15 in December 2009, local government advocacy work must focus on safeguarding these preliminary references until the last negotiation day. In addition, advocacy efforts must ensure that references to subnational and local governments are strengthened in several negotiating areas, such as mitigation in developed countries and financing. To this end, local governments’ advocacy work will be continued at the upcoming UN pre-COP15 events in Bangkok, 28 September – 9 October 2009; and in Barcelona, 2-6 November 2009.
To read these references (as of 14 August 2009), please click here. To read the full negotiating text (as of 15 September 2009) with references highlighted, click here.