أ) أهداف التعهد
Climate change is increasing the magnitude, frequency and intensity of extreme events around the world. Globally, extreme weather such as floods and heatwaves, and slow-onset phenomena such as sea-level rise and desertification, coupled with changes in vulnerability and exposure, are exacerbating humanitarian crises, especially in poorly resourced and fragile settings. The worsening of the humanitarian situation ensuing from these events demands immediate attention.
We acknowledge that at the national and local level, the Red Cross and Red Crescent network has been scaling improvements and innovations of early warning systems. These advances alone are insufficient. They must be matched equally by efforts to strengthen the resilience of affected communities and most marginalized groups, via relevant locally led adaptation actions. We acknowledge that the concept of Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) is gaining momentum within the Red Cross and Red Crescent network as part of the Climate Action Journey. To fully embrace LLA, the capacities of local branches must be strengthened to address the needs of at-risk populations and to receive and manage adaptation finance effectively.
We affirm the critical role of the National Societies to bridge the gap between short term preparedness actions and long term, sustainable adaptation solutions. Locally led adaptation entails leveraging the expertise of national societies and their local government partners and using local disaster management, risk reduction, Health and WASH as entry points for building resilience to climate risk.
We stress that integrating PGI (Protection, Gender, and Inclusion) and CEA (Community Engagement and Accountability) in our locally-led approach is crucial to ensure that no one is left behind. Our interventions must be responsive to the needs and voices of affected communities, including those who are often
marginalized or overlooked.
Additionally, we emphasize our capacities in water management as a no-regret locally-led climate action aligns with IPCC recommendations, offering a vital strategy to address the climate crisis effectively. We recognize that fair and effective adaptation actions require leadership from local communities to ensure that adaptation solutions are calibrated with local contexts. The principles of Locally led adaptation, have been developed by the Global Commission on Adaptation in 2021 to guide adaptation interventions, so that local actors can have maximum agency to employ the vast expertise and knowledge of communities and indigenous people in the design and execution of interventions.
These principles are endorsed by the IFRC, and we seek to increase accessible and predictable funding to achieve LLA. Currently only 10% of international climate finance reaches the local level and local level actors (IIED, 2019), which underscores the urgency and necessity of this pledge. We recall the previous resolutions as “A Climate for Change” (presented at the 33rd International Conference), “Strengthening the Resilience of Urban Communities” and “Strengthening Anticipatory Action in our Movement” (Councils of Delegates, 2022).
This pledge reinforces the importance of longer term resilience, sustainable action and the agency of local actors.
Finally, we stress that locally led adaptation is distinct from business-as-usual in community-based disaster risk reduction and resilience work in three key ways:
1) LLA specifically addresses community-level climate risks and combines traditional and
indigenous insights, perceptions, knowledge with scientific climate and weather information.
2) LLA devolves decision-making power and finance to promote the agency of local institutions and
communities as climate adaptation programme designers and leaders.
3) LLA applies locally designed monitoring and evaluation systems to measure progress on
community priorities.
ب) خطة العمل:
To support the locally led adaptation agenda, the signing partners will work towards strengthening the pledges made in the context of the Grand Bargain and are committed to investing in knowledge and tools for responding to climate-related events, disasters, and shocks. The initial actions include:
1. Endorse the Principles of locally led adaptation
The Principles for Locally Led Adaptation were developed by the Global Commission on Adaptation in 2021. IFRC Secretary Jagan Chapagain was one of the GCA Commissioners and in collaboration with key international climate actors, these principles were launched with the aim to guide adaptation practitioners and governments to facilitate programs, funding and practices towards adaptation initiatives and investments that are more strongly owned by local partners. As of today, over 120 organizations have joined us to endorse these principles, committing to make changes and strengthening existing efforts to meet this urgent adaptation agenda.
2.Shift from Community Based to Locally Led:
All signing partners are committed to empower their local partners and communities to facilitate and finance locally led adaptation initiatives. While community-based approaches are predicated on soliciting ‘participation’ of communities in initiatives that were broadly designed and determined elsewhere, LLA requires that the communities and local institutions are enabled to lead on decision making of their adaptation action. In this process, mainstreaming PGI (especially gender considerations) and CEA is vital to ensuring that the diverse needs and perspectives within the community are addressed, fostering inclusive and equitable solutions that truly reflect the realities and voices of all, particularly those most vulnerable.
3. Raise and well manage long-term funding
All signing partners commit to joining efforts to raise sustained, long-term funding to support locally led adaptation. LLA cannot succeed with short funding cycles. This type of funding calls for sound financial management systems and processes at the National Societies to ensure our own accountability.
4. Call for an increased effort in advocacy for best practices towards locally led adaptation
All signing partners commit to increase their efforts to advocate for strong leadership of LLA across all relevant stakeholders. They strive to channel the priorities of local partners (including Red Cross and Red Crescent Branches) and communities to actively shape national level policy processes on climate action, with adequate priority setting for localization of climate action as well as strong collaborations with national and local adaptation experts and national (weather, water) agencies.
ج) مؤشرات قياس التقدم المحرز
Indicators for measuring progress
• (Advocate for) Official endorsement of the Principles of LLA by leadership of national societies
• Cross sectoral engagement of national societies and their branches in climate working groups, to support the design of cross disciplinary and innovative adaptation options
• Collaboration at National level with NDC or NAP government plans to reflect locally led adaptation needs at regional or community levels
• IFRC Unified planning will reflect the Climate Action Journey efforts in the country plans
• Presence of long term funded programs (with the duration of 7+ years) and designed directly by local actors.
• Increased investment in locally led water programs.
د) الآثار المترتبة على الموارد:
No direct resource implication
