Author: IKI Alliance

State and municipal governments, as the government levels closer to citizens, possess the abilities and know the territory to address climate change challenges and implement actions that contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and to the adaptation in different areas, such as: urban development, transport, waste, forests, agriculture and livestock, among others.

Currently, all states in greater or lesser proportion are already developing actions, however, little is known about the benefits and/or impacts generated by their implementation. For this reason, it is essential to have a tool that allows knowing the progress in the implementation of actions in a transparent, comparable and exhaustive manner.

How to ensure that this tool is available locally?

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) is building a “Monitoring system of climate actions at the subnational level”, as a tool designed from participatory mechanisms, which will allow states and municipalities to decide the type of actions to be instrumented and report their progress periodically, giving them the ability to incorporate new actions and guide them in the selection of new measures and their adequate monitoring.

With this system, the Government of Mexico will be able to announce the progress in the implementation of actions at the local level, incorporating said actions into the accounting of the contributions the local level contributes for the fulfillment of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).

In addition, states and municipalities may have sufficient and reliable information to make appropriate decisions when allocating resources for the implementation of their actions. On the other hand, the system will allow them to know the progress of other states to achieve better communication, generate synergies and join efforts towards achieving a common goal: contributing to the mitigation and adaptation of climate change for the benefit of the citizens.

 

Credits: Edgar Javier Castillo

 

How will the system be built?

The construction of the climate actions monitoring system at the subnational level is a process that SEMARNAT will carry out with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Cooperation for Sustainable Development) program ; which will be carried out in five stages:

 

Credits: Edgar Javier Castillo

 

The estimated development times of the stages are:

 

Credits: Edgar Javier Castillo

 

Participation of the states will be crucial to make the system work and be useful.

BENEFITS

  • Common Reporting System
  • Transparent and comparable information
  • Basic methodologies for mitigation and adaptation actions
  • Strengthen subnational capabilities 
  • Identification of exercised budgets will be possible
  • For the first time, the participation of states and municipalities will be part of Mexico’s contribution to be presented to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Pronatura Sur as part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and with the help of strategic allies has made an effort to include in the institutional agenda topics that will deepen the discussion on how to mitigate the effects of climate change. For this reason, in this first semester of the year the State Forum on Rural Development, Natural Resources and Climate Change was organized in the city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas.

 

Credits: Pronatura Sur. Participants of the State Forum on Rural Development, Natural Resources and Climate Change

 

The objective of the forum was to promote a space for dialogue and reflection on the over-exploitation of natural resources, the vulnerability of the population in the face of climate change and the actions to be taken at the legislative, programmatic and social levels.

The inauguration of the forum was in charge of the representative Rosa Bonilla Hidalgo and Romeo Domínguez, general director of Pronatura Sur, who pointed out that it is the concurrence of all the actors that will allow progress towards the goals of reducing deforestation, preserving natural resources, reducing poverty and hunger, achieving responsible production and consumption; goals that are included in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and in the State Development Plan.

The forum had two keynote presentations given by Dr. Claudia Octaviano, PhD, General Coordinator for Climate Change Mitigation of the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC) and by Dr. Jose Alberto Lara, PhD, Director of the Transdisciplinary University Center for Sustainability (CENTRUS) of the Iberoamerican University.

During the panels, the role of public policies and inter-institutional arrangements to boost public and private participation in comprehensive land management and the achievement of SDG goals in rural areas were analyzed. Among the panelists of the Forum were Antonio Bonifaz, Director of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of the Ministry of Finance of the State of Chiapas; Joaquín Zebadúa, Municipal President of Berriozabal, Chiapas; Elsa Esquivel, Director of the AMBIO Cooperative, and Alejandra Blanco, Strategic Project Coordinator of the Ministry of Environment and Territorial Development of the State of Jalisco (SEMADET), who agreed that it is necessary to create spaces for dialogue among the three levels of government and concluded that the enunciation of solutions and initiatives for sustainable rural development must take place at the territorial level and that state planning should have mitigation and adaptation to climate change  as a transversal axis.

 

Credits: Pronatura Sur. Participants of the State Forum on Rural Development, Natural Resources and Climate Change

 

The second panel focused on the role of alliances among private initiative, local communities and governments for comprehensive land management and achievement of the SDGs. The panelists, with the public, analyzed the need to align the various public policy instruments to implement concrete actions at the state level and emphasized that sustainable development should occur at the territorial level from the bottom up.

The forum showed that there is an opportunity and availability among academic institutions, government and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to achieve collaboration in order to meet the state challenges in climate change, sustainable development and integrated territory management.

More than 400 people from all sectors involved in mobility within the 32 states worked on the draft of normative and public policy proposals to improve mobility in Mexico with perspectives of climate change and human rights.

When speaking about “regulation” and “normativity” in relation to mobility, one usually thinks about conflicts between taxi services and digital platforms, about the reorganization of public transport concessions or the regulation of new mobility services such as electric scooters.  In Mexico, states are the ones that have more attributions in these matters — although the reality is complex and requires the participation of cities, users, private sector, and other stakeholders in decision making. In recent years, the creation of Mobility Laws in some states has advanced the discourse and has managed to integrate concepts of sustainability and equity.However, many legislative initiatives have been motivated solely by particular phenomena such as those mentioned above. In a few cases, the full legal potential has been exploited to improve mobility in all its dimensions for Mexicans, strengthening good management of the sector among the different actors involved and affected.

Considering the express request of ten state congresses and  the pressing realities in the matter of mobility in the states, the federal government through the Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB), the Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development (SEDATU) and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Cooperation for Sustainable Development), through the Mexican-German Climate Change Alliance and the Cities & Climate Change Program (CiClim) carried out the coordination and implementation of the National Process of Regulatory Harmonization in Mobility.

The process is based on the observance of human rights, and hence mobility is understood as a phenomenon centered on the person, his/her movements and access to goods and services for the free exercise of his/her rights. In this sense, CiClim seeks to harmonize the regulatory framework with the primary objective of mitigating the impact of mobility on the climate crisis, in accordance with the General Law on Climate Change (LGCC), which, since 2012, recognizes that in order to reduce emissions caused by comprehensive public transport systems, sustainable mobility programs and their strategic link with urban development and territorial planning must be designed and implemented. Similarly, the harmonization process was carried out considering guiding principles such as participation, information, equity and accessibility, among other mainstreaming topics.

As part of the results, seven regional forums were held, consisting of representatives of the executive and legislative branches of all government orders, civil society organizations, academia, private initiative, working people and their trade union groups, among other key actors of the 32 states of Mexico.

 

Credits: Luis Paz Regional table Megalopolis, Monterrey, NL. August 20th, 2019

 

Through a participation methodology to co-create the regulatory framework for mobility under the supervision of GIZ, specific needs for efficient and sustainable mobility were recognized in the 32 states. Together, the participants proposed the changes and actions needed to improve standards, public policies, and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.  In this way, it was possible to create networks of mobility among the states. The participants noticed the similarities between their problems and the potential of their solutions beyond their borders. Similarly, the reality of mobility between its various territories was recognized and participants from various sectors agreed upon proposals for improvement in metropolitan and interstate coordination.

 

Credits: Luis Paz Regional table, Megalopolis 3. Monterrey, NL. August 20th, 2019

 

The regulatory map resulting from the work tables gives the Process the ability to start from the reality of the mobility phenomenon and compare it with the congruence of its reflection on the regulatory framework. The Government of Mexico is expected to issue its recommendations in the form of a model regulatory framework for mobility in the last quarter of 2019, accompanied by a use and implementation guideline. Local congresses may discuss them, adapt them to their diverse realities and, where appropriate, adopt or reform laws on the matter through their legislative process.

 

Credits: Luis Paz, Northwest regional table. La Paz BCS, August 13th, 2019

 

The National Process puts into action the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the 2030 Agenda in Mexico. This process serves especially as a tool for the implementation of the goals numbers 11 “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” and 13 “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”. Together with all interested parties and sectors, the Process has the potential to create the legal tools necessary to transform mobility in Mexico. It is expected that in subsequent phases and in compliance with their obligations, the authorities of the three government branches have succeeded in creating or adapting, “harmonizing,” all legal and regulatory provisions for sustainable mobility.

 

Credits: Luis Paz North regional table Durango, DGO, August 17th, 2019

 

File for consultation:

A water and sanitation operating agency (WASA) can be public or granted to a private one, whose main objective is the service provision for drinking water supply, sewerage, treatment and disposal of wastewater. According to the National Inventory of Municipal Potabilization and Wastewater Treatment Plants in Operation published in 2015 by CONAGUA, at the end of the same year, the country had a total of 874 water treatment plants and 2,477 facilities for sewage water treatment plants.

 

Credits: Shutterstock

 

In terms of climate change and energy intensity within the urban water cycle in Mexico, it is estimated that 5% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from this sector, as well as 5% of total electricity consumption nationwide *.

In addition to the GHG mitigation potential that exists in the water and sanitation sector, it is essential to look at the high vulnerability to the impacts that climate change can cause to WASA, as is the case of atypical rains that increase the water flow for treatment, floods and droughts that compromise the supply of drinking water to  populations. These are only some of the factors that should be considered when seeking and implementing measures to achieve a comprehensive water management.

 

Credits: Shutterstock

 

The Water and Wastewater Companies for Climate Mitigation (WaCCliM) program together with its direct counterpart, the National Water Commission (CONAGUA), seek to implement transversal climate change mitigation and adaptation measures with the WASA. Some of the measures being implemented with the OAs are the development of climate risk analysis and GHG reduction measures. Similarly, WaCCliM seeks to promote the digitalization of water processes, obtaining real-time information that supports decision-making and risk minimization.

The main challenges this program is facing to achieve mainstreaming of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures are the financial situation of the WASA to reach the necessary investment in infrastructure, a dynamic political environment, short administration periods in relation to times of implementation of the proposed measures and the professionalization of the sector.

During the implementation of the program, it seeks to convert the aforementioned challenges into opportunities that help to meet the proposed objectives.

To closely monitor the progress of the program, please refer to the IKI Alliance MX website.

Credits: Shutterstock

 

Sources:

* Internal calculations

The prolonged Water and Wastewater Companies for Climate Mitigation (WaCCliM) project has as its direct counterpart the National Water Commission (CONAGUA) 2019-2022, in accompaniment with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The project is part of the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), through the International Climate Initiative (IKI) in collaboration with the International Water Association (IWA).

 

Credits: Shutterstock

 

In this extension, WaCCliM seeks to create a resilient and low-carbon water and sanitation sector, mainstreaming the mitigation and adaptation approach to climate change in the sector and improving the level of ambition for compliance with the National Determined Contribution (NDC), where the operating agencies (O.A) of the sector play a predominant role. 

Being a global program, WaCCliM is implemented in Peru, Jordan and Mexico, with the objective of promoting the exchange of experiences between these countries. Based on the good results obtained during the first phase of the project, the lines of work on stakeholder awareness, capacity development and strengthening of operating agencies at the local level will be continued.

Some of the activities planned for Mexico include to continue working with pilot projects in operating agencies; encouraging the use of the Energy Performance and Carbon Emissions Assessment and Monitoring (ECAM) Tool; technical support for the implementation of OA measures such as: energy efficiency in pumping processes, identification of water losses in distribution systems, or reduction of direct methane emissions in wastewater treatment.

 

Credits: Shutterstock

 

At federal level, it seeks to promptly assist CONAGUA in identifying opportunities within the OAs with climate actions aimed at complying with the sector’s NDC. 

Finally, as an innovative element, it seeks to insert the digital technology and climate risk analysis component for service providers in the water and sanitation sector in order to achieve a more significant impact on climate change adaptation.

 

Credits: Shutterstock

 

To closely monitor the progress of the program, please refer to the IKI Alliance MX website.

 

The Smart Coasts project aims to identify a series of adaptation measures in order to reduce the vulnerability of the communities that inhabit the Dzilam State Reserve and the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve in Yucatán and the Flora and Fauna Protection Area Yum Balam in Quintana Roo.

Mainstreaming of the ecosystem services approach

The project is focused on ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA), that is, it seeks to take advantage of the benefits that coastal ecosystems, mainly mangroves, seagrasses and coastal dunes offer to human communities, particularly in the context of climate change. The ecosystem services that are sought to be strengthened, and therefore the sectors involved in the project, are fisheries, tourism and coastal protection. An expected result of the project is that the relevant actors in each sector are able to recognize the importance that ecosystems have for the protection and productivity of their sectors.

Mainstreaming of adaptation to climate change

In order to seek the sustainability of the measures identified in the long term, the project contemplates its mainstreaming in a series of policy instruments, from the community to the federal. Through a collaboration with the Mexican Center for Environmental Law (CEMDA), the instruments of ordinance, planning and operation will be identified, among others, that must be adapted to promote climate change vulnerability reduction in the natural protected and coastal areas management.

Once the instruments to be updated have been identified, WWF and CEMDA will collaborate with the relevant institutions to identify the mechanisms through which it is possible to manage the modification of the instruments. It should be mentioned that these actors are being involved in the process of identifying adaptation measures.

The Smart Coasts project is implemented by WWF in coordination with the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) and other partners, and is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).

 

Credits: WWF . Participatory workshop with various sectors in which ecosystem-based adaptation measures were preliminary identified

Introduction to cities and financing

According to UN-HABITAT in 2050, cities will contribute 65% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, since they consume 78% of the world’s energy, while currently covering less than 2% of the Earth’s surface. A large number of people living in cities depend on fossil fuels, which makes this population extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Therefore, a rapid and powerful transition in the use of energy, land, urban spaces and infrastructure including transportation and buildings (United Nations, 2019) is required and consequently the Global Program FELICITY seeks financing for low-carbon urban infrastructure as well as energy transition in cities.

 

 

Credits: Shutterstock. Cities vulnerable to climate change, due to their consumption of fossil fuels

 

How to move forward?

Financing is a key factor for the implementation of actions. That is why, through FELICITY, the parameters for financing low-carbon infrastructure in cities are established, as well as the development of capacities in local governments and in institutions related to climate change financing in three key partner countries: Brazil, China and Mexico.

The program has different areas: sustainable transport; district heating or cooling; public lighting systems; energy efficiency in buildings; renewable energies and waste and water treatment to help countries meet their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular the following four:

  • SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy
  • SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities
  • SDG 13: Climate
  • SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals
Credits: FELICITY.  FELICITY global program action lines

 

How is the contribution to Latin America being carried out?

In Latin America, FELICITY has selected five low carbon projects, three in Brazil and two in Mexico, which receive assistance to meet the administrative, financial, social and environmental requirements assessed by financial institutions.

The program makes a series of elements available to improve the capacities of the states and municipalities interested in receiving support of FELICITY. The requirements for the ex-ante project formulation to be considered are identified: a solid base of socio-environmental impact study; Investment with a gender perspective; Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment and Climate Impact studies such as indirect emission estimates, analysis and climate risk management plan.

 

Credits: FELICITY. Formulation and ex-ante evaluation of FELICITY projects

The global program Vertically Integrated Climate Policies (VICLIM) is about to completing its activities after developing for three years actions focused mainly on strengthening capacities and policies to promote the integration of states and municipalities in achieving national climate change mitigation objectives.

 

Credits: GIZ VICLIM Team

 

The global VICLIM project has been implemented since 2017 in four countries: Georgia, Costa Rica, South Africa, Indonesia and Mexico, where the activities started. In Mexico, the four strategic lines of work of the program were developed and the most emblematic results are exemplified below.

The first refers to Institutional strengthening for vertical climate integration. Within this line, in order to consolidate the state capacities in the field of climate change, a series of regional workshops were carried out with the support of the bilateral program Mexican-German Climate Change Alliance between 2017 and 2018. The focus of this effort was identifying contributions from the subnational level to the National Determined Contribution (NDC). Under this strategy, VICLIM is working in coordination with SEMARNAT in identifying success stories on climate finance at the local level that can serve as referents of detonating elements in the subject for other municipalities.

 

Credits: GIZ VICLIM and Mexican-German Climate Change Alliance, Regional Workshops

 

Within the second line of work about Instruments and Mechanisms for vertical climate integration, the Ministry of Environment and Territorial Development of the State of Jalisco (SEMADET) was supported by the program to develop a Municipal Climate Change Programs (MCCP) Elaboration and Updating Guide. This guide has been piloted in Puerto Vallarta for the development of its MCCP in collaboration with the Ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change in cooperation with the private sector (ADAPTUR) program. With this, climate change mainstreaming at local level has been promoted, as well as the vertically integrated alignment of the municipality’s policy.

The third line of VICLIM corresponds to the Knowledge transfer of the National Climate Initiative (NKI). Within this line, one of the activities was to integrate Germany’s experience in the development and implementation of Energy Efficiency Learning Networks or Energy Management Systems at the municipal level. The program provided a document of strategic orientations on the subject in conjunction with the Energy Transition Support Program in Mexico (TREM).

The fourth line of action contemplated the Knowledge exchange. Under this premise, one of the activities of VICLIM was the exchange of experiences on local climate change actions through the study trip of a Costa Rica delegation organized by VICLIM Mexico and said country. Within this event, sessions were held between peers from municipalities in Costa Rica, Naucalpan and the state of Jalisco, as well as with the secretariats of the environment in both countries.

 

Credits: GIZ Team and Puerto Vallarta in the study trip of Costa Rica in Mexico

 

Within the lessons learned from VICLIM Mexico, cooperation is identified as a fundamental element for the scope of the results of the different activities.  Global projects, despite some having reduced budgets, can enhance their impacts when working together with other actors, programs and countries, who can contribute to the sustainability of each of the actions.

On behalf of the VICLIM team, we thank everyone for being part of this trajectory. Likewise, we invite you to visit our catalogue of products.

 

 

PRODUCTS AND LESSONS LEARNED 2017-2019

The Vertically Integrated Climate Policies (VICLIM) program is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Cooperation for Sustainable Development). VICLIM is implemented in five countries: Georgia, Costa Rica, South Africa, Indonesia and Mexico.

The objective of the program is to strengthen the strategies and policies that promote the involvement and integration of sub-national actors (states and municipalities) in the achievement of national climate change mitigation objectives, in addition to ensuring that the lessons learned are used to feedback processes in the field at national and international level. VICLIM consists of four lines of work:

  • Institutional strengthening for vertical climate integration
  • Instruments and mechanisms for vertical climate integration
  • Knowledge transfer from the National Climate Initiative (NKI) of Germany
  • Knowledge exchange between partner countries

This program was implemented in Mexico between January 2017 and September 2019, with the main counterpart being the General Directorate of Climate Change Policies (DGPCC) of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT). Other key allies of VICLIM were the Ministry of Environment and Territorial Development of the State of Jalisco (SEMADET) and the Municipal Government of Puerto Vallarta, through the Subdirectorate of Environment.

Below are the project products developed in the country, as well as a brief description of their content and the link for download.

 

Institutional Strengthening for Vertical Climate Integration
With the aim of urging subnational governments to guide and increase their contributions to the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), VICLIM Mexico supported the strengthening of the technical capacities of actors who are responsible for climate policies at the national and subnational level, and generated recommendations on multi-level coordination and cooperation mechanisms.

The activities began with the organization of regional meetings with the states, where the exchange of good practices and lessons learned through spaces for face-to-face dialogue between the federal and subnational government was significant. The meetings led to the development of a baseline on sub-national progress in the development and implementation of climate policies, institutional arrangements, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) and climate financing. This exercise can be replicated regarding the regular periodic update of the progress of the subnational climate policy.

With this information, and based on the identified barriers and opportunities, , recommendations were developed for states to guide their actions and policies towards the alignment, quantification and long-term reporting of their contributions to the NDC. In addition, proposals were provided for the definition of governance processes and mechanisms that allow monitoring and transparency of this process.

These efforts were accompanied by the generation and diffusion of communication material (infographics and videos) to sensitize subnational governments about their role in the development of adaptation and mitigation actions and, therefore, in the fulfillment of national commitments from the local level. In addition, a repository of practical information on climate change was generated for states and municipalities, in reference to their contributions to the NDC.
Summaries of the Regional Workshops “Strengthening Subnational capacities and their contributions to the national determined contribution

The objective was to strengthen the capabities of the states in order to align, quantify and report their contributions in the field of mitigation and adaptation to climate change to the NDC. The regional workshops were carried out in collaboration with the Mexican-German Climate Change Alliance project.
 

Recommendations of regional workshops “Strengthening Subnational and their contribution to the Nationally Determined Contribution 2017-2018”

Informe y análisis detallado por región y Estado sobre las capacidades subnacionales en cambio climático y sus aportaciones a la NDC. Este producto se realizó en colaboración con el proyecto Alianza Mexicana-Alemana de Cambio Climático.
 

Analysis of Mexico’s local government conditions regarding mitigation

The study offers a review of the policy framework, governance and funding sources conditions of the municipalities for mitigation. In addition, the document identifies areas of opportunity and recommendations in the field.
 

Report of the workshop “National Meeting of States and their Contributions to the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)”

The purpose of the meeting was to give continuity and share the results of the exchange of experiences among states promoted by SEMARNAT, standardize methodologies for reporting contributions and share experiences. The meeting was held in collaboration with the Mexican-German Climate Change Alliance project.
 

 

 NDC Subnational Toolbox

Information repository of the states and municipalities of Mexico, in reference to their contributions to the NDC. The content of this toolbox was developed jointly with the Mexican-German Climate Change Alliance project.
 

 

  

Factsheets: Identification of mitigation measures and adaptation measures in the face of climate change A contribution of States and Municipalities to the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)

In order to strengthen Mexico’s NDC and increase its level of ambition, it is necessary to rely on contributions in terms of mitigation and adaptation from states and municipalities and to promote their participation.
 

 

  

Capsule:  Contribution of state and municipal governments to the compliance of the NDC.

This capsule seeks to guide subnational actors in the identification and development of measures within their powers, as well as to invite them to share their experiences on the subject.
 

Capsule: Linking adaptation and mitigation measures with the NDC and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the subnational level.

Based on the study of co-benefits of the NDC for the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda, developed by the projects 2030 Agenda Initiative and the Mexican-German Climate Change Alliance of the GIZ, VICLIM produced a video  about the co-benefits between both agendas and the role of subnational governments.

 
 

Instruments and Mechanisms for Vertical Climate Integration
The VICLIM program supported subnational governments in identifying, developing and evaluating various public policy instruments and mechanisms to facilitate the vertical alignment of mitigation policiles. In this regard,  methodologies and approaches were developed to adapt them to loca contexts that align to national development goals in the context of climate change.

 

This amendment was carried out in close collaboration with the Government of Jalisco, through SEMADET. The program supported the development of a guide to develop and / or update municipal climate change programs (MCCP), aligned with the Jalisco State Law on Climate Action and the NDC. The guide was piloted, in collaboration with the GIZ project ADAPTUR, in the municipality of Puerto Vallarta, one of the most important municipalities of Jalisco in economic terms, but which is also highly vulnerable to climate change. The work at the local level allowed to generate improvements to the methodologies proposed in the guide, to support the governance processes between Jalisco and its municipalities, and to mainstream the issue at the local level.

 

VICLIM also focused on the issue of local climate finance. On one side, in coordination with SEMARNAT, cases of climate financing were compiled at the municipal level where the success factors, minimum capacities and good practices that have enabled access to the financing of mitigation and adaptation measures were analyzed, in order to give examples and inspire other municipalities. On the other side, SEMADET was supported in analyzing fiscal and market instruments with the potential to channel more resources to the Jalisco Environmental Fund.  Additionally, the preparation of technical material to provide training on climate financing to the Inter-municipal Environment Boards of that State was supported.
Guide for the Elaboration or Updating of Municipal Climate Change Programs (MCCP) of the State of Jalisco

Series of guidelines, tools and methodologies to guide the development and / or updating of the MCCP.
 

Municipal Climate Change Program (MCCP) of Puerto Vallarta

The MCCP was developed through participatory workshops with different actors of the municipality and was based on the “Guide for the development of MCCP of the State of Jalisco” and other methodologies developed by SEMARNAT and GIZ.  The process was developed in collaboration with the project Ecosystem-based Adaptation to climate change (ADAPTUR) in cooperation with the Tourism sector.
 

Portal of Municipal Climate Change Programs on the Energypedia platform

The objective of this space is to promote the exchange of experiences and collective learning among municipalities and other actors during the development of the Municipal Climate Change Programs (MCCP).
Jalisco’s Climate Policy Information Capsules

The series includes three videos about Jalisco’s contribution to the NDC of Mexico, the Climate Change Action State Program and success stories.
 

Recommendations on climate finance at local level

As part of the contributions of VICLIM in terms of local climate finance, the following were generated: 1) Case studies on financing mitigation measures and adaptation to climate change at the municipal level in Mexico; 2) Technical material for strengthening local capacities on access to climate finance for the State of Jalisco; and 3) Analysis of fiscal and market instruments to strengthen the Jalisco Environmental Fund and reduce its CO2 emissions.

 

 

Knowledge Transfer from the National Climate Initiative (NKI)
VICLIM Mexico generated an exchange of experiences with Germany taking as  reference the instruments promoted by the National Climate Initiative (NKI), which is a federal fund that promotes local climate action at the municipal level in Germany.

Through an equivalence analysis between the NKI instruments and the Mexican context and through a participatory process, the Energy Efficiency Learning Networks (LN) scheme was selected at the municipal level to generate a knowledge transfer between both countries

Under the guidance of the German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu), recommendations were given to the National Commission for the Efficient Use of Energy (CONUEE). The results are aimed at establishing Energy Efficiency LN and Energy Management Systems to improve the conditions of its implementation and the impact on the reduction of CO2 emissions at the municipal level.
 

Strategic guidance document for the implementation of EE LN or EMS at municipal level.

Document of strategic orientations for the implementation of LN at municipal level, and systematization of experiences of LN in municipalities of Mexico, Brazil and Germany. This document was produced in collaboration with the Energy Transition Support Project in Mexico (TrEM) implemented by GIZ.

 
 

First National  Meeting of EE LN or EMS at municipal leve

The objectives of the meeting were to promote the concept of municipal LN as mechanisms to achieve an effective energy management and to reduce the emissions of GHG locally, as well as to exchange experiences based on success stories from Mexico and Germany. This document was made in collaboration with the TrEM project.

 
 

Video on EE LN or EMS at municipal level

The video introduces the concept of LN, describes the implementation phases, the main objective, and which actors are relevant for their development and implementation. The document was made in collaboration with the Energy Transition Support Project in Mexico of the GIZ.
 

Report of the workshop “Dialogue on the German National Climate Initiative (NKI): Exchange Opportunities between Mexico and Germany

At the workshop, the instruments of the NKI were presented to the state government of Jalisco and the Intermunicipal Environmental Boards (JIMA). Likewise, opportunities for exchanging experiences between Mexico and Germany were identified through the support of GIZ-VICLIM and Difu.
 

Study of equivalence between the NKI and programs in Mexico

This document aims to identify and select a financing instrument for municipalities of the Mexican government that is viable for the exchange of bilateral experiences with the NKI and with a high potential for scale up.

 

 

 

Knowledge Exchange
The VICLIM program in Mexico took advantage of various opportunities to share its experiences and lessons learned in various spaces of dialogue with other actors of international cooperation working at the local level, and through various media.

The program produced periodical publications for specialized newsletters, seminars on regional online platforms, as well as articles in conjunction with other international organizations presented for discussion at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Another exchange mechanism was a study trip between Mexico and Costa Rica (where VICLIM is also implemented), in terms of local climate action.
Artículo “Enabling subnational climate action through multi-level governance”

VICLIM, ICLEI and UN Habitat presented for the COP23 a document about lessons learned and good examples of climate policies that demonstrates the potential of subnational governments to comply with NDCs. Cases include experiences from Colombia, Germany, South Africa, Mexico and Myanmar.
Webinar on Vertically Integrated Municipal Climate Change Programs

VICLIM Mexico and Costa Rica offered a virtual seminar on the experiences in Mexico and Costa Rica on local planning climate instruments with a vertical integration approach.
Study Trip Costa Rica-Mexico on local climate action

The VICLIM program in Mexico and Costa Rica promoted a study trip for the exchange of knowledge, sharing experiences and case studies on the implementation of climate policy at the subnational level.
 

Lessons Learned from VICLIM México
    • Top to bottom approach. The leadership of the Federal Government is essential to establish guidelines for subnational entities so that they are able to implement their climate policy. Consequently, their  progress can be reported and monitored at the federal level.
    • Bottom up approach. Climate change adaptation and mitigation will have an impact as long as the actions respond to local contexts. In this process, it is crucial to implement the mechanism to integrate the systematized results to the Mexico’s NDC.
    • Climate Change Mainstreaming The internalization of climate change criteria and considerations in local development policy and in its processes is essential to channel resources and efforts in order to achieve climate goals.
    • Innovation in governance and coordination mechanisms at the local level. It is important to promote regional actions to take advantage of common challenges or goals in the face of climate change and enhance processes, resources and impacts.
    • Exchange of good practices and lessons learned. It is very useful to have systematized experiences of national and international case studies, told by local governors who can convey motivation to other subnational governments.
    • Capacity Development Training and knowledge sharing spaces for the subnational level must be continuous, progressive and take advantage of the progress in some states and municipalities to strengthen others. Communication material for local decision makers is more effective in the form of concept notes and videos.
 

VICLIM Mexico Impacts
 

  • Strengthening of the technical capacities of states and municipalities in the field of climate change policy (more than 25 exchange spaces and 990 people trained).
  • Strengthening multilevel governance and the federal government’s role in coordinating subnational advances.
  • Construction of a baseline of climate policy in the 32 states and development of the material necessary to update the information periodically.
  • Exchange of good practices between states and municipalities, for example, in terms of local climate finance.

Climate change mainstreaming in development plans in both the State of Jalisco and the Municipality of Puerto Vallarta.

With the objective of promoting international learning processes, the Vertically Integrated Climate Policies (VICLIM) program Mexico and Costa Rica promoted a study trip for knowledge exchange, sharing experiences and success stories on actions to combat climate change in a subnational level.

The meeting was held in Mexico, mainly in Jalisco and the capital of the country. The topics addressed were multilevel governance, instruments and local policies for the fulfillment of the respective Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), as well as climate financing and climate action at local level.

The delegation from Costa Rica was mainly composed of representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), Institute for Municipal Development and Advice (IFAM), National Union of Local Governments (UNGL) and representatives responsible for environmental issues in the municipalities of San Ramon, Santa Cruz, Pococi, Quepos, Osa, Oreamuno and Goicochea.

 

Credits: GIZ. Delegation of Costa Rica and GIZ participants

 

The event started in Guadalajara, Jalisco, with the Ministry of Environment and Territorial Development (SEMADET) of the State, where the state shared its experience with Jalisco State’s Environmental Protection Fund (FEPAJ) as well as with climate action mainstreaming. During this session both countries identified areas of opportunity in the vertical approval of information, updating it, strengthening and creating alliances between actors, promoting cross-linking of existing regulations to support the projects.

During the second day of the study trip, the Metropolitan Area Development Planning and Management Institute (IMEPLAN) of Guadalajara, presented its governance model and the metropolitan climate change plan. Likewise, during this meeting Project assistance was provided by Information and Communication Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change (TIC-A) with Arturo Cadena. Subsequently, the exchange continued in Puerto Vallarta, mainly with municipalities of the Intermunicipal Board of the Sierra Occidental and Costa (JISOC), where issues related to public policy, adaptation, biodiversity, agriculture, among others, were addressed.

 

Credits: GIZ  Discussion Table on Energy and Waste, Mexico and Costa Rica

 

During the third part of the event, attendees were trained in the use of Social Cost-Benefit Analysis Tool for Climate Change Measures. Subsequently, on the fourth day an exchange of experiences on cities and climate change was carried out with the Climate Protection in the Mexican Urban Policy (CiCClim) Program, where participants highlighted the role of cities in combating climate change and the importance of raising public awareness as part of climate action.

On the fourth day of this event, an exchange session was held where both countries presented success stories on financing in projects for the integral management of solid waste. Finally, the visit of the Costa Rica delegation concluded with a meeting with the General Directorate of Climate Change Policies (DGPCC) of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and the Mexican-German Climate Change Alliance program of GIZ. One of the main subjects of this session and possible area of collaboration between the two countries was the work on the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems of contributions from sub-national levels to national climate goals.

 

Credits: GIZ.  Experience exchange session Mexico and Costa Rica

 

The event took place from August 19th to 23rd of this year and was mainly driven by the global project of Vertically Integrated Climate Policies (VICLIM) of the Deutsche Gesellchaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. This program is implemented in five countries, South Africa, Indonesia, Georgia, Costa Rica and Mexico.

 

Mexico and Germany participate in webinar to present experiences on climate change taxonomy within the framework of a sustainable financing strategy.

 

Credits: GIZ

 

On August 1st, 2019, the Agenda 2030 project and the Mexican-German Climate Change Alliance facilitated a dialogue between the European Union and the Brazilian and Mexican financial authorities (SHCP, Bank of Mexico) for the exchange of experiences in the development of a sustainable financial system. During the event, the European experience in elaborating an Action Plan for sustainable financial growth and the development of a taxonomy of green financial instruments was presented. The Mexican authorities shared the public sector’s vision of the need to coordinate national public and private efforts to make the financial system in Mexico greener.

 

Credits: GIZ

 

Impacts on the operation, infrastructure and market, are some of the risks that climate change poses for the tourist destination of Riviera Nayarit-Puerto Vallarta. In the face of such a climate emergency, the Association of Entrepreneurs of Puerto Vallarta and Bahía de Banderas) (AEBBA) has taken the lead in promoting ecosystem-based adaptation solutions.

Entrepreneurs recognize that conservation of the bay, mountain forests and wetlands are a priority for socio-economic development, to ensure water in the future and protect against floods and storms.

 

Credits: © ADAPTUR / Mariana Rodriguez Aguilera. Mountain forests in Riviera Nayarit-Puerto Vallarta

 

The commitment was ratified on August 2nd through the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, between AEBBA and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Cooperation for Sustainable Development), as well as the creation of a Green Agenda Committee, which will be led by entrepreneurs from the region. During the event, the president commented:

” Today we assume this challenge of starting the process of adaptation to climate change in our companies and partners, as something indispensable with a sense of urgency.”

The objective of this collaboration is to build joint solutions between the private, public and civil society sectors, which is why the state and municipal tourism authorities of Nayarit and Jalisco expressed their support for the initiative. Some highlight actions are: making adjustments to the policy and regulatory framework, encouraging financial mechanisms to implement adaptation solutions, and integrating the risks of climate change into new developments in real estate and tourism infrastructure.

 

Credits: © AEBBA / Ana Lilia Medina. Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between AEBBA and GIZ

 

Riviera Nayarit – Puerto Vallarta is one of the three pilot sites in Mexico to implement the Ecosystem-based adaptation to climate in cooperation with the private sector (ADAPTUR). It is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism (SECTUR) and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), and the technical support of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) and the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC).

 

Credits: © ADAPTUR / Ana Lorena Gudiño Valdez. Business leaders of Riviera Nayarit-Puerto Vallarta