The ten ASEAN member states along with China and India join forces in the upcoming ASEAN Mayors Forum to cope with climate change in relation to the rapid urbanisation in the cities. While urbanisation has endured to give rise to the economic benefit of higher wages in all its glory, it also postulates several environmental drawbacks. This situation reveals that both the economic and environmental aspects of urbanisation should go hand in hand in the interests of climate resilience. Therefore, cities need to develop strategies to sustain the momentum of economic activities, provision of housing, healthcare, education, energy services, and mitigate the impacts of climate change. As a result, local governments play a key role in achieving successful development in the ASEAN community.
Fostering regional cooperation amongst cities and local governments, the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Strategy (ASUS) is in the service of effective coordination for creating an enabling environment in the event. As a regional platform, the forum anticipates climate governance to conduct policy mapping by identifying main climate priorities and strategies for the Urban Act Initiative facilitated by the UCLG ASPAC as the ASEAN Mayors Forum Secretariat.
Funded by BMU Germany for the Urban Act Project preparation, the UCLG ASPAC in partnership with the UNESCAP and the GIZ Bangkok attempts to accomplish regional network engagement by organising a virtual ASEAN Mayors Forum Special Event on 29 and 30 June 2021.
Under the theme “Enabling Environment on Climate Resilience: Local Governments and Cities Commitment to Tackle Climate Change”, the outcomes of the virtual sessions would expectantly provide feedback on the Urban Act Initiative programme, especially the development and implementation of Climate and Resilience Action Plan. The exploration of the vertical integration between cities and national institutions would correspondingly address capacity building as a key implementation challenge. Indeed, the low capacity and experience of cities have happened regarding the Climate and Resilience Action Plan. Additionally, the outcomes would be submitted to the ASEAN Secretariat as input and recommendation of ASEAN Mayors to the ASUS.
The event is conducted for 100 participants in virtual sessions, with more than 10 representatives from ASEAN, China and India, senior local governments officials and representatives of local government associations from all ASEAN member states. It will be opened by welcoming remarks from the Secretary General of UCLG ASPAC, followed by keynote speech from Deputy Secretary General ASEAN for Social Culture and Community and the opening remarks from the Governor of Jakarta as Co-President of UCLG ASPAC. Both days of the event are scheduled to start at 9 AM (Jakarta Standard Time GMT +7)
To join this event, please register through this link: http://bit.ly/AMFSpecialEvent
