United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific (UCLG ASPAC)

[E-Newsletter] Local and Regional Government Assembly – APMCDRR 2024: Accelerating Disaster Risk Reduction at the Local Level 🌏 From October 14-18, 2024, UCLG ASPAC convened the Local and Regional Government Assembly under the Asia-Pacific Local Government Coordinating Body (APLG) framework, gathering leaders from local and regional governments ahead of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR). Hosted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) of the Philippines and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), the Assembly collected insights from 180 distinguished governors, mayors, city councillors, and key decision-makers to formulate a Joint Statement for submission to the APMCDRR. Key highlights included: Urgent Integration: Mr. Dakila Carlo Cua, President of UCLG ASPAC, emphasized the need for integrating disaster risk reduction and climate action, alongside adequate support and financing for local governments. Innovative Solutions: Mayor Imelda Calixto Rubiano of Pasay City shared their commitment to developing modern strategies for disaster risk management. Collaboration for Resilience: Mr. Juanito Victor Remulla, Jr., Secretary of DILG, reinforced the importance of enhancing local government capacities in disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation. The Assembly addressed critical themes aligned with the Sendai Framework, focusing on: a. Enhancing disaster risk reduction financing.  b. Ensuring gender-responsive and inclusive governance.  c. Localizing the Sendai Framework for urban and rural resilience. The Joint Statement, adopted as the Assembly's outcome document, was presented by Gov. Cua at the APMCDRR on October 15, 2024. Key recommendations included: a. Developing local data infrastructure to assess climate risks.  b. Building capacity for sustainable, nature-based solutions.  c. Collaborating with national governments and the private sector for resilient infrastructure investment.  d. Integrating gender-responsive planning in disaster risk governance. The Assembly called on national governments to ensure accessibility of risk data, strengthen multi-level governance, provide financial and technical support, and facilitate access to disaster risk financing mechanisms. The APMCDRR, organized by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Government of the Philippines, focused on the theme “Eyes on 2030: Enhancing ambition in Asia-Pacific to accelerate disaster risk reduction.” Together, we are paving the way for a safer, more resilient future! 💪🌿 https://lnkd.in/gZs_434s #UCLG #DisasterRiskReduction #ClimateAction #APMCDRR #LocalGovernance #ResilienceBuilding #SustainableDevelopment FT 

[E-Newsletter] CWIS Summit 2024 in Colombo: City Leaders Urge for Stronger Collaboration 🚀 Exciting developments from the South and Southeast Asia City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) Summit 2024, held on September 25-26! Under the framework of UCLG ASPAC's Municipalities Network Advocacy on Sanitation in South Asia (MuNASS), this summit emphasized the urgent need for regional collaboration to achieve “Safe Sanitation for All.” Hosted by the Federation of Sri Lankan Local Government Authorities (FSLGA), the event brought together mayors, youth, media, and sanitation experts from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Together, we focused on institutionalizing CWIS for marginalized communities, reinforcing that inclusive sanitation can only be realized through united efforts. Key highlights included: a. Knowledge Sharing: Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, UCLG ASPAC Secretary General, stressed the importance of sharing knowledge and experiences to ensure no one is left behind in accessing proper sanitation. b. Collaborative Discussions: Topics ranged from best practices in inclusive sanitation to the role of local government associations in achieving SDG 6.2 outcomes. c. Site Visit: Participants observed the Kandy Municipal Council’s advanced wastewater treatment and fecal sludge management systems, showcasing innovative solutions for environmental preservation and community health. Key Recommendations: a. Strengthen regional collaboration among cities to tackle shared urban challenges.  b. Promote knowledge exchange to empower municipalities in safe sanitation initiatives.  c. Raise awareness on CWIS and fecal sludge management in urban planning.  d. Enhance financial support for accessible sanitation services, especially in marginalized communities.  e. Advocate for participatory governance to include all voices in decision-making processes. UCLG ASPAC's MuNASS program is making strides in translating policy into action, driving impactful sanitation initiatives across South Asia. Together, we can create a future where safe sanitation is a reality for everyone! 💧🌍 https://lnkd.in/ggGJWNMk #SanitationForAll #CWIS #SustainableDevelopment #MuNASS #LocalGovernance #SDG6  FT 

[E-Newsletter] UCLG ASPAC at the 2024 UCLG World Council in The Hague: Collaboration for a New Peace Agenda 🌍 Exciting times at the 2024 UCLG World Council in The Hague! From October 8-10, UCLG ASPAC joined over 300 local government leaders, experts, and stakeholders to discuss vital issues in urban governance and sustainable development under the theme “A New Peace Agenda for Future Generations.” Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, our Secretary General, represented us in high-level discussions focusing on peacebuilding, equality, and innovative governance strategies. A highlight was the Open Round-Table Dialogue on driving economies of equality to finance the care agenda. We also strengthened interregional partnerships, confirming Jeonju City and Xi’an City as hosts for the 2025 World Culture Summit and UCLG World Council, respectively. Key takeaways include: The essential role of local governments in promoting peace through sustainable policies.  Opportunities for deeper collaborations on initiatives like Nature-Based Solutions and solid waste management.  Upcoming events, including the 2025 UCLG ASPAC Congress in Goyang, South Korea. As we move forward, UCLG ASPAC is dedicated to fostering collaboration and ensuring local governments are equipped to tackle the challenges of the 21st century. Together, we can build a more peaceful and sustainable future! ✨ https://lnkd.in/grTTMZJm #SustainableDevelopment #Peacebuilding #LocalGovernance #FutureGenerations  FT 

[E-Newsletter] UCLG ASPAC Advocates for Local Action on Climate and SDGs at the 8th CED Meeting of the United Nations 🌏 UCLG ASPAC at the 8th Committee on Environment and Development (CED) Meeting 🌱 October 15–19, 2024 | UCLG ASPAC proudly represented the voices of cities and local governments from Asia-Pacific at the 8th CED Meeting hosted by UNESCAP in Bangkok. This event gathered global and regional leaders to address pressing environmental and sustainable development challenges. 🌟 Key Highlights:  📢 Advancing Local Climate Action:  Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, UCLG ASPAC’s Secretary General, highlighted the critical role of cities in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through climate-focused local actions. She underscored UCLG ASPAC's support for Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) and Voluntary Subnational Reviews (VSRs), with 13 VLRs and 7 VSRs completed, enabling cities to align local policies with global climate targets. 🚀 Asia-Pacific SDG Localisation Platform Launch: A collaborative effort by ESCAP, UN-Habitat, and UCLG ASPAC, this platform equips local governments with policy tools and e-learning resources to embed SDGs into governance frameworks. Empowering local governments remains a top priority for UCLG ASPAC. 💨 Key Discussions: a. Air quality improvement strategies  b. Regional cooperation for sustainable urban development  c. Enhancing access to climate finance for cities UCLG ASPAC shared its ongoing initiatives, showcasing its commitment to fostering climate resilience and sustainable urban planning. 🤝 Partnerships for Progress:  Strategic meetings with Urban Act Project partners paved the way for new collaborations and actionable plans, ensuring long-term sustainable urban growth across Asia-Pacific. Through leadership and collaboration, UCLG ASPAC continues to empower cities to tackle environmental challenges, drive sustainable development, and build a resilient future for all. 🌍 https://lnkd.in/gkRY9MJD #ClimateAction #SustainableCities #UCLGASPAC #CEDMeeting #SDGs #LocalGovernance #UrbanActProject  FT 

[E-Newsletter] UCLG ASPAC Urban-Act Project: Expanding Engagement in Building Local Climate Resilience September–October 2024 marked an active period for the Urban-Act Project, driving impactful collaborations and advancing climate resilience initiatives in ASEAN cities. Here's what we've been up to: 🚮 Investment Project Workshops in Padang & Medan Together with GIZ Indonesia & ASEAN and United Nations ESCAP, we facilitated workshops focused on municipal solid waste management, identifying investment-ready projects aimed at improving waste segregation, resource recovery, and community-based infrastructure. With 67+ stakeholders from government, private sectors, universities, and communities involved, Padang and Medan are now primed for financing opportunities like the City Climate Gap Fund. 🌟 🌍 City Pairing & Learning Exchange: Padang & Malang This initiative fostered knowledge-sharing on waste management, spotlighting Malang's Integrated Resource Recovery Center. Such exchanges empower cities to tackle similar challenges with innovative solutions. 🤝 🏛️ ASEAN Mayors Forum 2024 Under the theme “Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience for Sustainable Development of ASEAN Cities,” the Urban-Act team hosted a workshop on Climate Resilience. Cities shared best practices, including: Padang: Urban adaptive spatial planning & circular economy initiatives. Medan: Community-based waste management & flood protection infrastructure. Key recommendations emphasized integrating climate action with DRR, inclusive approaches, and unlocking alternative financing. 📊 CEE-ECG Assessment Report Launch The City Enabling Environment on Environmental and Climate Governance (CEE-ECG) baseline report offers insights into governance, financing, and public engagement—paving the way for stronger local climate action. 🌟 From workshops to forums, these initiatives underline our commitment to empowering cities, enabling collaboration, and ensuring a sustainable future. 🌏 https://lnkd.in/gBsz5K_Z #ClimateResilience #SustainableCities #UrbanActProject #UCLGASPAC #WasteManagement #ClimateAction #LocalGovernance #ASEANMayorsForum  FT

[E-Newsletter] The Second Session of The 2024 UCLG ASPAC Executive Bureau and The 2024 Council Meetings “Innovation-Driven Regional Collaboration: Building a Green, Digital, and High-Tech Urban Future”     From October 21-25, over 200 delegates from 70+ local governments across 13 Asia-Pacific countries gathered to discuss "Innovation-Driven Regional Collaboration: Building a Green, Digital, and High-Tech Urban Future." This event was particularly special as we celebrated UCLG ASPAC's 20th Anniversary! 🎉    Key outcomes include shaping our Strategic Plan for 2026–2030, set to be adopted at the 10th UCLG ASPAC Congress in Goyang, South Korea, in September 2025.  A heartfelt thank you to our co-hosts, the Zhengzhou Municipal People’s Government and the CPAFFC, for their incredible support! 🙏    The event featured insightful discussions on sustainability, smart city innovations, and regional partnerships, with contributions from esteemed leaders and experts. We’re committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and enhancing urban resilience through innovative technologies.    We concluded the week with a celebration of our journey and achievements over the past two decades, reflecting on our commitment to empowering local governments and communities.  Here’s to a sustainable, innovative future! 🌱💡     https://lnkd.in/g7w2aCyP    #UCLGASPAC #Innovation #Sustainability #UrbanFuture #20thAnniversary  FT 

🎉 Wrapping Up Internal Capacity Building #3: Budget Planning for Non-Finance Teams Today, Friday, 22 November 2024, UCLG ASPAC successfully conducted the third session of our internal capacity-building series: Budget Planning for Non-Finance Teams – Organising Events. Facilitated by Mba Aniessa Delima Sari this session offered valuable insights and practical strategies for non-finance teams to manage budgets effectively while planning impactful events. It was an engaging and interactive session, enhancing our collective capacity to deliver well-organised, financially sustainable initiatives. A big thank you to everyone who participated and to Mba Aniessa for her excellent facilitation. Together, we continue to strengthen our organisation and grow as a team! #UCLGASPAC #CapacityBuilding #BudgetPlanning #NonFinanceSkills #TeamDevelopment #LocalGovernance

🚨 Announcement: LinkedIn Article – E-Newsletter Volume 10 🚨 🌟 Celebrating Innovation and Collaboration for a Sustainable Future 🌟 We are excited to share highlights from the recently concluded Second Session of the 2024 UCLG ASPAC Executive Bureau and Council Meetings, held in Zhengzhou, China. Under the theme “Innovation-Driven Regional Collaboration: Building a Green, Digital, and High-Tech Urban Future”, this event brought together over 200 delegates from 70+ local governments and institutions across 13 Asia-Pacific countries. 📰 What’s Inside? Updates on UCLG ASPAC’s efforts in climate resilience, sanitation advocacy, and disaster risk reduction. Key outcomes from international events like the ASEAN Mayors Forum, 2024 UCLG World Council, and APMCDRR 2024. Community empowerment initiatives, such as the Kalibaru Hub Project, enhancing livelihoods in North Jakarta. #SustainableDevelopment #GreenCities #Innovation #RegionalCollaboration #ClimateResilience FT

Some time ago, I was involved in the UCLG CRIC Expert Panel activities in Bali. Where I helped facilitate the 4 cities; Banjarmasin, Bandar Lampung, Cirebon and Samarinda. Before our departure, we had also conducted several meetings and prepared data related to waste management, where the cities I assisted, Samarinda and Cirebon, became the pilot cities for the tool developed by ACR+. In this panel, both cities (Cirebon and Samarinda) also shared their experiences in using the tools and how the benefits of the tools developed as well as highlighting the problems and waste management in their cities. The four cities that I assisted each raised issues problems and hopes that occurred in the city through participatory discussions including participatory mapping conducted with ECOLISE. In this mapping, the city discussed the problems faced, what could be done, and which parties could be involved. The Bandar Lampung City Government delegation discussed two main topics when mapping the problems and stakeholders. The first was about the lack of Green Open Space in Bandar Lampung City which ranges from 2-3% while the standard is 30%. The second is the closed access to the coastal area both functionally and visually, even though Bandar Lampung City has a very long coastal area. From these two main problems, the topic of Green Open Space was then determined as a more strategic problem to target because it is directly related to the Sustainable Development Goals. Meanwhile, Samarinda city conducted a mapping of waste management, such as open dumping landfills, TPS3R management, ego-sectoral, and community involvement in waste management from the source is still lacking. Banjarmasin discussed the problem of flooding that occurred in several areas and waste and water management problems. In Cirebon City itself, the goal to be achieved is a clean and comfortable city. Cirebon City prepared 5 strategies; community, technical guidance, funding, institutions, and regulations. Cirebon City wants to focus on increasing community participation through technical guidance, the formation of waste bank communities, community assistance, sanitation, and monitoring and evaluation. United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) #CRICProject , ECOLISE , ACR+ | Association of Cities and Regions for sustainable Resource management cc Thank you for this meaningful collaboration and discussion, I learned a lot during all the sessions Hizbullah Arief Dina Saputri Cemara Dinda Indah YS P. @rizki satria Anita Lombardo Michele Giavini Francesco Lembo Sara Silva and the others. #ClimateAction #City4All #Mitigation #Adaptation

🌍 Jeonju Future Cities Forum 2024: Empowering Youth at the Youth Future Lab The Youth Future Lab at Jeonju Future Cities Forum 2024 offered invaluable mentoring and career coaching, with leaders like Jungtae Kim, Professor Wansoo Im, and Jeongki An and more sharing impactful insights. From embracing flexibility in a global landscape to taking small, meaningful steps for change, these mentors highlighted the power of intent, collaboration, and adaptability. Jeonju’s initiative strengthens youth potential, empowering them to drive sustainable urban innovation and shape the future of our cities. 🌱 #YouthEmpowerment #FutureCities #Sustainability FT