Session Description - Resilient Cities 2015

SESSION DESCRIPTION
FINANCE FORUM
C4
The Role of Multilateral Funding Institutions:
perspectives from the GEF network
Panel discussion
Date: Tuesday, 9 June, 2015
Time: 11:00-12:30
Rooms: S29-32
Language:
Contact:
E-mail/web:
Organized by:
English
Saliha Dobardzic
[email protected] / www.thegef.org
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
OBJECTIVE
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a partnership for international cooperation where 183
countries work together with international institutions, civil society organizations and the private sector,
supporting projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, and
chemicals and waste in the context of development projects and programs. The GEF has provided
grant funding for adaptation projects in 128 countries, of which approximately two thirds are directly
relevant to cities.
Recently the GEF has green-lighted around $144 of grant funding for its Sustainable Cities pilot
program, for projects investing in 23 cities globally to serve as pilots in examining different aspects of
urban sustainability, from access to services like public transport and clean water supply, to green
buildings and other interventions designed to mitigate GHG and air pollution emissions, resource
efficiency, waste management, ecosystem protection, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
This session reviewed the experience of key multilateral development organizations, part of the Global
Environment Facility’s network of agencies, and currently implementing projects in urban resilience.
The panelists discussed the challenges of securing funding for adaptation, country/city dichotomy and
ways to obstacles associated with it, harmonizing diverse development objectives, and structuring
different streams of finance – some dedicated to adaptation, others earmarked for investments in
various sectors, such as transport or water services – for supporting resilient development in cities.
Each panelist discussed agency-specific experience in financing and supporting resilience in cities,
illustrated by examples, including the most recent developments, and the road ahead.
OUTCOMES
Participants gained a better understanding of:
 The challenges and opportunities of supporting resilient city development through multilateral
development agencies;
 The process of harmonizing/seeking synergistic development objectives, establishing
partnerships/building coalitions, and blending disparate sources of finance; and
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Experience on global co-benefits stemming from city-level action
METHODOLOGY
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The facilitator opened the session with a short introduction of himself and each speaker.
(5 minutes)
Each speaker was given time to describe their work, using PowerPoint presentations, as
needed. (3 x 13 minutes)
The remainder of the session was organized around the guiding questions, with each panelist
given time to respond to individual questions, and to respond to comments made by other
panelists. (20 minutes)
The facilitator managed questions and answers from the audience. (20 minutes)
The facilitator concluded with closing remarks. (5 minutes)
Guiding questions:
1. There is an increasing awareness among city decision-makers that resilience to
climate change is a growing, and increasingly immediate challenge. However,
integration of this concern throughout urban development efforts is an addition to an
already complex set of challenges. What is the role of multilateral development
institutions in the process of prioritization of these challenges?
2. Often, cities tend to grow in an ad hoc manner, with some of the most vulnerable living
on the city fringe with informal water, sanitation and housing arrangements. From the
perspective of a multilateral development institution, what needs to be done to ensure
that these millions can also partake of resilient urban living?
3. Development projects tend to focus on small sections of a city, and specific issues,
with very limited amounts of funding. Urban resilience, however, needs an integrated,
systems-level approach that has potential to alter vulnerability for millions. How can
this be done in poor countries?
4. What are some good examples of cities in your region that have managed to transform
in a short space of time? What are the key factors that enabled this to happen?
CONTRIBUTORS
Facilitator
Saliha Dobardzic, Senior Climate Change Specialist, Global Environment Facility,
Washington DC, USA
Panelist
Quang Cuong Dinh, Head of Da Nang Climate Change Coordination Office, Da Nang,
Vietnam
Panelist
Astrid Westerlind Wigström, Senior Advisor Urban Resilience, The World Bank,
Washington DC, USA
Panelist
Emani Kumar, Deputy Secretary General, ICLEI; Regional Director, ICLEI South Asia