Recognising the importance of training and capacity building of government officials and urban planners on climate-resilient development planning, a GCAP training workshop was convened on March 5 and 6, 2024. The workshop was organised by the GCAP implementation consortium with active support and cooperation from the State Economic Planning Unit of Sarawak and Padawan Municipal Council. 

Supported under the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Technical Assistance ‘Malaysia – Developing Green City Action Plans to Accelerate Post-COVID-19 Competitiveness and Resilience’, Kuching City’s GCAP is being prepared with technical guidance and support from the GCAP implementation consortium members including ICLEI South Asia, ICLEI Southeast Asia, and the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand-Growth Triangle Joint Business Council Malaysia. The development of the GCAPs is in accordance with the strategic goals of the Government of Malaysia, as outlined in the 12th Malaysia Plan, aiming for a “Prosperous, Inclusive, Sustainable Malaysia.”

The workshop was designed to build the capacity of Kuching and Padawan Municipal Council officials on the approach and process of GCAP preparation and implementation. The training workshop utilised the assessed urban systems’ profile and gaps, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory estimates and the identified climate risks and vulnerabilities, to enable a hands-on workshop. One of the core focuses of the workshop was to also identify the specific development needs, priority sectors, and intervention areas for the preparation of the pipeline of climate-resilient and sustainable infrastructure investment projects. 

Similar training workshops were conducted in two out of the four targeted cities, Penang Island and Kota Bharu, in October and November 2023. The fourth and last training workshop will be held in Langkawi Island City.

Inaugurated by Mr. Tan Kai, Chairman of the Padawan Municipal Council, and Mr. Josephson Louis Anak Nako, Assistant Director, the State Economic Planning Unit, Sarawak, the training workshop shared knowledge and tools for spearheading sustainable urban development with 55 technical officials from 24 government agencies from various sectors, including water, solid waste management, stormwater management, sewerage, transport, energy, and related fields.

Building Foundations and Capacities

The first day of the training workshop focused on the fundamentals of climate change, GHG emissions inventory, climate risk and vulnerability assessment, and action planning. A series of presentations, coupled with group exercises, aimed at hands-on learning about the preparation process of the GHG emissions inventory and climate vulnerability assessment. 

Using the ClimateResilientCities (CRC) methodology, the training workshop focused on building a comprehensive understanding and capacity of participants on climate-resilient development planning and implementation. The training workshop offered insights into the interconnections between mitigation and adaptation aspects for fostering comprehensive climate resilience development, taking into account future climate risks and potential shocks.

Forward-Thinking Urban Development

On the second day,  the training workshop highlighted practical aspects of identifying and prioritising Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) projects, with regard to urban sectors such as water supply, solid waste management, energy, stormwater management, and transport. The discussion covered development status, priorities, and opportunities within these sectors for areas under the jurisdiction of the Padawan Municipal Council. 

Collaborative Exercises: From Theory to Action

The training was supported by a series of group exercises designed to foster comprehensive solutions. For instance, the ‘GHG Emissions Inventory Preparation’ exercise quantified and documented city-level GHG emissions, particularly from stationary energy and mobile sectors, highlighting the crucial role of accurate data processing and emissions reporting, while the  ‘Climate Impacts and Vulnerability Assessment’ exercise facilitated discussions on the impacts of climate change on urban systems. This segment underscored the importance of stakeholder involvement in crafting effective adaptation strategies, thereby paving the way for developing robust adaptation measures. 

Lastly, the ‘Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Investment’ exercise allowed participants to jointly identify and discuss projects that not only withstand climate impacts, but also champion sustainability across key urban sectors. It provided key details into strategic planning, ultimately guiding participants toward scoping projects that epitomise resilience to climate-related challenges. By combining theoretical understanding and practical application, the training workshop equipped stakeholders with the tools necessary to plan climate-resilient and adaptation strategies.