GCA launched the 2023 edition of Stories of Resilience: Lessons from Local Adaptation Practice at an event in the Resilience Hub, during the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai, UAE.
The 2023 Stories of Resilience documents the triumphs and challenges of local adaptation practitioners. It finds that global and national systems are not changing fast enough to support local leadership in tackling the threats of climate change – transformational and systemic change is necessary to enable locally led adaptation. This includes stronger and more meaningful partnerships between government and non-government actors; investment in institutions and systems to enable bottom-up governance; social learning; phased long-term program support; and appropriate financing.
The event began with welcoming remarks from Dr Shehnaaz Moosa, CEO of the Climate and Development Network, which partnered with GCA on the publication. Dr Moosa noted: “What these stories show is that communities in the global South are at the cutting edge of resilience and adaptation actions, but they are also not victims. They are seriously agents of change.”
Anju Sharma, GCA’s Global Lead on LLA, then presented key messages from the publication. This was followed by an address by Constance Okollet, Founder of the Osukuru United Women’s Network in Uganda, whose work is described in the publication.
Speaking on the Network's work Okollet noted that: “Women at the local level are doing something. In the past, the culture used to not allow women to talk; not even to move near where meetings take place. Now, we have changed that culture so that women can also have a decision in the family and sit and discuss and do the budgeting. Now there is less domestic violence, less gender inequality.”
The event concluded with a fishbowl discussion on the amplification of locally led efforts in practice, facilitated by Fundación Avina.
The Stories of Resilience series aims to reflect best practices and learning from locally led efforts, to advance learning and to inspire and inform LLA efforts elsewhere. The series is targeted at local and global adaptation practitioners, national and sub-national governments, and funders of adaptation action. It also aims to draw out lessons from local implementation of adaptation for national and global policymaking; and to point to ways of making adaptation more effective on the ground.
Event discussions centered on showcasing perspectives from local actors on what it means for them to engage in global discussions and events, and how best they can be supported to amplify their own voices and influence global discourse on ambitious, inclusive and transformative adaptation and resilience action at the local level.
Read 2023 Stories of Resilience: Local Adaptation Action in Practice.