From National Commitments to Local Action: Advancing Climate-Resilient Development through NDC Localisation
27 February 2026, 9:00 – 10:00 am ICT Virtual (Zoom)
Session description
As countries across the Asia Pacific work toward their climate goals under the Paris Agreement, the role of subnational governments is pivotal in turning national-level commitments into effective, place-based strategies and accelerating on-ground implementation. The session focuses on the importance of advancing climate-resilient development through sub-national and local integration of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
It examines how local leadership, integrated planning, and improved vertical coordination can enhance climate action outcomes. The session will further highlight the role of platforms in enabling collaboration, facilitating peer-learning, and providing technical assistance across various levels of government, with support from development banks in financing the climate ambition.
Drawing on experiences from the ambition of NDC 3.0 and innovative implementation examples across South and Southeast, the discussion will demonstrate the role of national commitments in driving local government action. Aligned with SDGs 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), 13 (Climate Action), and 17 (Partnership for the Goals), the session underscores the need for integrated and participatory urban planning, climate-resilient policies aligned with disaster risk reduction, and the localisation of national climate commitments through strengthened institutional capacities, knowledge exchange, and peer-learning. It further highlights the need for multi-level, multi-stakeholder partnerships in enabling coordinated climate action, and effective NDC implementation across the Asia-Pacific region.
Objectives
- Perspectives from national, local government representatives on enabling policies, institutional frameworks, and capacity-building initiatives that have supported climate-responsive urban planning.
- Impact of the partnerships in accelerating net-zero goals, such as the Asia LEDS Partnership (ALP), the NDC Partnership, ICLEI’s member network, and the Asia-Pacific Localisation Partnership for Sustainable Cities (APLP-Cities).
- Insights on the development of a scalable pipeline of local government projects aligned with NDCs, with investment pathways to accelerate implementation.
- Understanding best practices as enablers for NDC localisation and vertical integration.
Programme
Time | Agenda |
9:00 – 9:05 | Introductory Address
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9:05 – 9:10 | Context setting
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9:10 – 9:15 | Session framing by moderator
NDC Partnership Support Unit |
9:15 – 9:55 | Discussion on the topic – From National Commitments to Local Action: Advancing Climate-Resilient Development through NDC Localisation Speakers
Question & Answer Session |
9:55 – 10:00 | Closing Remarks
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Contact
For any questions or clarification regarding the session, please write to:
Ms. Shinjini Saha, ICLEI South Asia, Email: [email protected]
Mr. Anandhan Subramaniyam, ICLEI South Asia, Email: [email protected]