ICLEI World Secretariat and ICLEI South Asia jointly organised a training webinar on ‘Science-Based Targets for South Asian Cities’ on the 14th of April 2022. The climate planning process, the implementation of low-carbon climate-resilient actions, and the significance of setting science-based targets (SBTs) in cities were discussed, in addition to good practices and successful examples of climate-resilient projects in South Asia.
Several flagship tools and resources of ICLEI were introduced and explained, such as the Green Climate Cities Framework, ClimateResilientCities methodology, CitiesRace to Zero, and CDP-ICLEI track. More than 80 participants from 13 cities in South Asia attended the event.
SBTs provide a clearly-defined pathway for cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the latest climate science and the goals of the Paris Agreement. By setting such targets, cities help to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, and future-proof development and contribute to efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C.
The training covered the complexities and benefits of setting SBTs, and how the process aligns with climate action planning processes in local governments. An introduction to the Cities Race to Zero and Cities Race to Resilience campaigns was also provided during the webinar. ICLEI South Asia is providing technical assistance to several cities in the region to develop Paris Agreement consistent climate-resilient city action plans with science-based targets.