Untapped potential – local governments in climate action
The Program
2023
Geographic scope: Cambodia, Lesotho, Niger
Partners: World Resources Institute
Funders: United National Capital Development Fund
Overview
Climate change is a global challenge, but adaptation is fundamentally local. And yet, too often international climate finance fails to reach – much less empower – actors at the local level. The United Nations Capital Development Fund’s (UNCDF) long standing LoCAL program delivers climate finance directly to local governments in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. This paper presents findings and experiences to build a burgeoning global evidence base on Locally-Led Adaptation (LLA) and the contributions of subnational government towards it.
What we deliver
WRI and ISET led groundbreaking research on local governments and Locally-Led Adaptation (LLA), based on the UNCDF-LoCAL’s global experience. Through three country case studies—Cambodia, Lesotho, and Niger—this research was conducted in collaboration with local experts in a spirit of cooperation, participation, and empowerment.
Key outcomes/results
The World Resources Institute published this timely and compelling research exploring the role of subnational governments in the emerging Locally-Led Adaptation (LLA) paradigm. This study draws on the long-standing experience of UNCDF’s LoCAL program, offering valuable lessons for others to follow.
