Background
United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) is the largest regional section in United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), a worldwide local government association and the only local government organisation recognised by the United Nations. UCLG ASPAC represents well over 3.76 billion people -making up more than half of the world’s population- and incorporates economically fast developing countries such as China, India, and Indonesia and it links to more than 7,000 local governments.
As part of the Consortium of the International Urban Cooperation (IUC) Asia Project funded by the EU in which the phase 1 ended in December 2020, UCLG ASPAC carried out the Helpdesk function and has been serving as the host of the Global Covenant of Mayors Southeast Asia (GCoM SEA) Secretariat since 2018. The GCoM SEA Secretariat is the main regional interlocutor of the Global GCoM Secretariat, facilitating the channeling of information and initiatives to cities, partners, and GCoM stakeholders in Southeast Asia. The GCoM SEA Helpdesk provides the first point of contact for the Southeast Asian cities, receives cities’ requests for technical support, and disseminates GCoM information to local and national governments. The Helpdesk plays an active role in outreach and dissemination of GCoM information to local and national governments, via trainings, seminars and webinars. There are currently 79 cities in South East Asia committed to the GCoM.
Phase 1 of the IUC Asia project has defined the specific role for the Helpdesk: to follow up on the work of national and local climate institutions supporting the development of SECAPs and the integration of cities into national plans on climate and energy. This focus was particularly applied to 13 pilot cities in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam that were supported by IUC Asia. The Helpdesk has also been a key collaborator in co-organising training sessions for over 75 cities and engaging national governments. GCoM support to cities in Southeast Asia has focused on increasing awareness and commitment to the GCoM, training and building capacities to develop SECAPs locally, and identifying vertical integration mechanisms within national and local policies in the fields of climate change and sustainable energy.
The ongoing European Union (EU) action “Support to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy” contributes to the delivery of international commitments. This action plays an important role in achieving the goals of the EU, focusing on cities as drivers of climate action and clean energy transition and as major stakeholders to implement the European Green Deal. The action also seeks to promote the role of the EU in leading local and regional sustainable energy and climate action across the world, based on its climate and energy frameworks and policies.
The EU action will support one of two main areas, namely the Regional Covenants of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy in Asia and the Americas, constituting a second phase of the IUC. This new EU funding for GCoM in Asia focuses on several core activities supporting the National and Regional Covenants to maintain autonomy and seeks coherence and exchanges between the regions.
UCLG ASPAC, as the host of the GCoM SEA Secretariat, is carrying out a one-year action/work plan (September 2021 – August 2022) to support “the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy” funded by the EU.
Objective
The GCoM SEA work plan is a guide for the Regional Covenant of GCoM SEA in supporting the EU Action “Support to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy” in the SEA region (focused countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam) which action aims to develop, monitor and lead climate and sustainable energy action and diplomacy at the local level.
The work plan is also to ensure that the following activities of GCoM SEA are implemented by the GCoM SEA Secretariat for one year period:
- Functional Area 1: Helpdesk Services
- Serve as an entry point for signatory cities, potential members, partners, and other relevant stakeholders
- Regular communication with GCoM SEA cities and partners
- Communication with cities
- coordination calls with SEA partners
- coordination calls with global-level partners
- Follow up on signatories
- Conduct city outreach and engagement
- Raise the visibility of GCoM SEA
- Quarterly report of GCoM SEA project activities
- Contribute to GCoM SEA annual report
- Conduct networking events for GCoM SEA cities
- regional networking event
- national networking events
- Promote GCoM initiative at the Asia level
- Functional Area 2: Ad hoc Technical Support
- Carry out a mapping exercise of the existing members
- Carry out analysis on technical assistance needed by 16 pilot cities in SEA
- Organise the 4 knowledge-sharing virtual events for the GCoM cities
- Promote activities related to climate mitigation and adaptation
- Support GCoM Asia in conducting 2 offline trainings (Indonesia, Malaysia)
- Support GCoM Asia in conducting 2 offline trainings (Vietnam, Thailand)
- Functional Area 3: Funding for CAP’s and SECAP’s
- Identify financing opportunities for local climate action
- Organise 1 online training on CAP development
- Explore potential sources of funding for GCoM activities
- Assist cities in selecting the suitable project implementation
- Functional Area 4: Data and Knowledge Management
- Maintain a database and knowledge-sharing platform of GCoM SEA
- Functional Area 5: Support to national and regional strategies
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- Produce GCoM SEA governance structure
- Advocate the voice of cities in the regional and international climate conversation
- Functional Area 6: Enhance GCoM Outreach in the region
6.1 Initiate the meeting with relevant national ministries
Scope of Work
The Technical Coordinator is required to carry out the following tasks to support the GCoM SEA Secretariat to achieve the set deliverables:
- Support technical aspect of the tasks.
- Provide guidance to signatories on developing a Climate Action Plan (CAP) and the related Emissions Inventories of the Covenant of Mayors.
- Regularly produce FAQs on the Covenant to guide Asian stakeholders.
- Seek reference from strategic partners on technical solutions.
- Facilitate training and conduct peer review activities related to technical aspects of the Covenant.
- Be responsible for the adaptation of the current Covenant methodological tools and guidelines
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