Addressing climate justice in regional planning and actions

This article is a summary of the original text, which can be downloaded from the right-hand column. We highlight some of the publication’s key messages below, but please access the original text for more comprehensive detail, full references, or to quote text. 

Introduction

Launched at COP21 in 2015 by Regions4, the RegionsAdapt initiative supports the key role of subnational governments in climate resilience. With 80+ members worldwide, the initiative fosters knowledge-sharing and advocacy for climate adaptation.

Supported by Québec, this 2023 report emphasizes the critical role of subnational governments in advancing climate justice. It defines climate justice as addressing the disproportionate effects of climate change on vulnerable populations while ensuring equitable distribution of adaptation resources.

Methodology

The report integrates insights from interviews conducted with the Basque Center for Climate Change (BC3) and data collected from 36 RegionsAdapt members across 16 countries via the CDP States and Regions platform. It evaluates the progress of states, provinces, and regions across four key commitments: assessing climate risks, developing adaptation strategies, implementing actions, and monitoring outcomes. Particular emphasis is placed on initiatives that promote climate justice, highlighting efforts to support vulnerable communities and ensure equitable adaptation measures.

The report also features 16 “Stories of Progress” from members in Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, South Africa and Morocco, spotlighting how subnational governments are advancing climate justice.

Key findings

• Subnational Governments’ Crucial Role in Climate Resilience: Subnational governments play a crucial role in leading just and effective climate resilience efforts. Active engagement with marginalized communities, inclusive adaptation, and cross-sectoral approaches are key to creating strategies that align with diverse community needs. 

• Promoting Climate Justice at the Regional Level:  Initiatives promoting climate justice at the regional level explicitly address multifaceted inequalities within climate change adaptation strategies. These efforts can rectify disparities in resource access, assets, services, decision-making power, and leadership, contributing to the shared vision of Agenda 2030. 

• Inclusive Planning : Various methodologies, including the Adaptation Justice Index, evaluate the inclusion of climate justice dimensions in policy planning. While proactive engagement in procedural justice—ensuring transparent, inclusive, and fair decision-making processes—is common at the regional level, the report underscores the importance of going the extra mile to facilitate the participation of hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations. 

• Monitoring and Assessing Adaptation : Monitoring often tracks the progress of the implementation plan, but there is a need to address inequalities in adaptation actions. The report recommends detailed disaggregation based on socio-economic factors and the use of well-being and multi-criteria indicators (social, environmental, economic) to avoid bias. 

• Investing in Capacity Building and Knowledge: Strengthen the foundation! Subnational governments should invest in building the capacity of government agencies, local institutions, community leaders, and civil society. Education, training, and knowledge-sharing are vital components to understand and implement just adaptation strategies. 

• Selecting and Implementing Just and Equitable Adaptation Options: Think beyond resilience! When evaluating adaptation options, consider not only their climate resilience but also their potential social and environmental co-benefits. Embrace justice principles and the “Leave no one behind” concept to address structural inequalities in climate adaptation planning.  Target vulnerable groups, avoid maladaptation, and promote long-term benefits for sustainable and inclusive resilience. 

• Loss and damage: Recognizes the role of subnational governments in vulnerable countries that are already facing loss and damage resulting from climate impacts,and takes account of their experience in designing financial support mechanisms to recover and rebuild livelihoods and infrastructure.