Local government thought leaders from around the world, including representatives from the cities of Bulawayo, Cape Town, Dar es Salaam, Durban, Gorakphur, Hanoi, Lagos, London, Mandurah, Quintana Roo, and Thimphu met in Durban, South Africa from March 20-23, 2013, to further the implementation of a set of political commitments addressing the impacts of climate change, known as the Durban Adaptation Charter. The workshop was funded by USAID through the CityLinks program, and hosted by eThekwini Municipality (where Durban is located), with support from ICLEI. I was lucky enough to attend this workshop and found it very rewarding to see cities learning from each other in such a focused way.

The workshop identified numerous needs from local governments, including: data, information, access to funding, global advocacy, capacity, leadership, national support, integration with local agendas and plans, and city-to-city partnerships. Foremost among the topics discussed was the need for mechanisms to track and assess the effectiveness of adaptation measures at the local level. Most critical was the identification of a dual approach to engaging policy- and decision-makers, as well as that of local government practitioners, through separate but complementary mechanisms. Workshop participants provided guidance on establishing a governance framework that will draw on the expertise of multiple organizations and that is designed to advance the international profile of adaptation, as well as provide ongoing implementation support for signatories.

On the last day of the workshop, participants joined in for a “Green Tour” of Durban to learn about Durban’s achievements in promoting urban adaptation. A final report from the workshop will be coming soon, as will plans for a forthcoming city-to-city partnership between Durban and a to-be-determined city.