Coordination across subnational levels

The overall objective of VICLIM is to support the implementation of national climate commitments through the integration of subnational actors (states and municipalities). Its approach seeks to strengthen the capacities of those responsible for climate policy at the subnational and national levels and to establish mechanisms for vertical coordination and cooperation, thereby involving all levels of government. It also seeks to ensure that lessons learned feed back into international negotiation processes.

Currently, cities produce more than 70% of global CO₂eq emissions. In Mexico, cities are estimated to have a reduction potential equivalent to almost 10% of the country’s mitigation potential for 2020 (National GHG Emissions Inventory, 2015).Initial situation 

To achieve the Paris Agreement goal of keeping the temperature increase below 2°C, action by cities and subnational governments is necessary. Their role is becoming increasingly important in contributing to the implementation of national and international climate change commitments, for example in areas such as urban planning and sustainable transport.

Key actors

VICLIM is financed by the International Climate Initiative (IKI, by its German acronym) 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. In Mexico, the counterpart is the General Directorate for Climate Change (DGPCC) of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT).

Our approach

VICLIM builds on the experience of the Vertically Integrated Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (V-NAMA), also referred to as “subnational integration” or “multilevel governance.” This means that the different levels of government—from national to local—coordinate in order to align their planning, implementation and reporting.

The project’s partner countries have the potential to vertically integrate their climate policies, either because they already have previous experience or because they have favorable governance structures.

For its activities, various formats and direct advisory support with counterparts across levels of government will be used to improve climate governance, support outreach, dialogue and exchange, and establish cooperation networks among local governments.

Initial results

VICLIM in Mexico has promoted a series of regional workshops under the leadership of SEMARNAT and together with the Mexican-German Climate Change Alliance, where nearly 200 representatives from 30 federal entities identified pathways to integrate their contributions into the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), shared experiences and generated synergies.

As a result, a toolkit was prepared integrating updated information on the NDC for the subnational level, including the current status of climate change policies and instruments at the state level. In parallel, an informational video was developed to raise awareness of the role of states and municipalities in relation to the Paris Agreement and the NDC.

At the subnational level, new guidelines for the preparation of local climate action plans are being developed together with the state of Jalisco.

Finally, by linking with different entities, the project seeks to generate instruments that reach decision-makers in relevant climate forums and negotiations.

All VICLIM products and progress are shared with the community through the website https://iki-alliance.mx/.