THE PUBLIC GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Combatting climate change requires coordinated action on multiple levels: between countries but also from the centre of government to line ministries, and on to regional and local governments and their citizens.
These bodies must not only function effectively individually, but increasingly they must work in harmony and with common resolve.
Improving governance at all of these levels will be vital to our ability to mobilise our societies to meet COP21 objectives.
This page highlights the main public governance challenges related to combatting climate change, including the roles of urban policy, procurement and water governance.
Keeping senior government ministers and the head of government focused on climate change mitigation.
Stop leaving climate change mitigation efforts as a stand-alone initiative with its own targets & benchmarks.
Developing appropriate coordination mechanisms and use existing coordination expertise.
Design a process that sets targets that span electoral cycles and involves the opposition.
THE SOLUTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE WILL BE IN CITIES
By the end of this century, almost 9 billion people are projected to live in cities, corresponding to nearly 85% of the total global population.
Growing urbanisation and rapid economic growth are escalating green house gas emissions. Cities are having an increasingly important role in addressing climate change mitigation
The OECD Mayors and Ministers in Mexico meeting discuss urban development programmes that bridge the policy gap in tackling climate change and promote green growth, mobilising investment, creating jobs and ensuring sustainable, inclusive urban growth.
Cities are in a unique position to empower citizens and help them understand the key issues and public policies under development.
But cities can’t do it alone: co-ordination between local and national levels is essential.
STRATEGIC GOVERNMENT SPENDING CAN PROMOTE COP21 OBJECTIVES
SUSTAINABLE WATER SUPPLY REQUIRES GOOD WATER GOVERNANCE AT ALL LEVELS
By 2050, world population will rise to over 9 billion, 4 billion of whom will live in severely water-stressed areas.
The deterioration in water quality has reduced biodiversity in the world’s rivers, lakes & wetlands by about one-third.
The rate of global groundwater depletion more than doubled in the second half of the 20th century.
Global water demand is projected to increase by 55% to 2050.
Rapid urbanisation means that many water-related challenges are playing out in our cities.
In all countries urban water management suffers from governance gaps, fragmented institutions, weak capacity at the local level and tensions between water, energy and land policies.
Report highlighting the importance of addressing climate change across all levels of government to help achieve national climate goals and minimise tradeoffs between environmental & economic priorities at local levels.
Urban policies are crucial for achieving national environmental and green growth goals. This report contains case studies which show how on how environmental policies can contribute to growth.
