Raising ambition in locally-led action for 2021: calling for business unusual

Together with the World Resources Institute (WRI), IIED is supporting the Global Commission on Adaptation’s Locally-led Action Track (LLAT).

One of eight action tracks under the commission, it places special attention on ensuring adaptation action and support reaches the most vulnerable, while aiming to expand both the quantity and quality of funding for locally-led action. It has been championed by two commissioners, Sheela Patel and Dr Muhammed Musa.

Since 2019 IIED has been working with WRI on a ‘Framework for LLAT’, gradually building inputs through various consultations and producing a series of briefings on locally-led action under the banner “Calling for business unusual’. These are:

• Why local leadership matters
• Mechanisms for delivering change
• Reforming climate finance, and
• Closing the learning loop in locally led adaptation.

Building on these briefings, IIED is looking to the climate finance landscape, to identify where there is already good practice – where local leadership is being prioritised – and where there remain opportunities to improve finance delivery.

The first part of this dive into the landscape looks to multilateral climate funds: where is adaptation financing exemplary, how does it look in practice, and where are the gaps and opportunities to deliver finance more effectively? The findings from this research are presented in the ‘Good climate finance guide: lessons for strengthening devolved climate finance’.

The eight principles of good practice in financing and supporting LLAT mean operating in a more ‘business unusual’ way, seeking to place more agency into the hands of local people.

Developed with a range of local, national and international partners, the good climate finance principles call on all climate finance and adaptation stakeholders to sign up, and demand they tell us how they can do more to take adaptation action and provide support differently.

You can join us to discuss these principles at the official launch of the ‘Good climate finance guide’ during London Climate Action Week. On Wednesday, 18 November, IIED and WRI are hosting an event focusing on ‘Reforming climate finance to support locally led adaptation: principles for moving to business unusual’.

Find out more about IIED’s work researching the benefits and challenges of getting development and climate finance flowing to the local level.