Eastern Africa has faced severe floods in the last few months as a consequence of climate change. While local governments cannot stop the rain from falling, transparency, equity, and accountability in local governance can mitigate the negative effects of these floods and protect the most vulnerable from the worst consequences.
The ICLD Alumni Talk on 20 June 2024 showcased experiences from three East African countries, combined with research from two continents, to illustrate how municipalities have responded to the recent floods. Vivid images and personal testimonies were intertwined with well-grounded theories, facts, and figures to demonstrate how local democracy plays a crucial role in both preventive and responsive actions.
The panel set out to explore how local governments are uniquely positioned to implement tailored climate action plans in response to climate disasters – innovative strategies that respect local capacities, resources, and human rights, ensuring community-specific solutions to combat the impacts of climate change. Key needs highlighted include adequate drainage systems, attention to marginalized groups, gender-disaggregated data, municipal rapid response units, and of course access to financial resources coupled with transparency and accountability. These measures all require implementation at the local or subnational level of governance. Technology and mass media are critical for effective early warning systems, and participatory mechanisms can facilitate both alerting and responding to disasters, while also offering political leaders the legitimacy to invest in building climate resilience.
The bottom line is that climate adaptation is not just about technical solutions but also about politics and policy – and responsive local democracy.
About the panelists:
Erick Kyalo Matata, Urban and Regional Planner, Kiambu County, Kenya
Eric is an Urban and Regional Planner working with Kiambu county and doubles as the head of Environmental and Social Safeguard in the world bank funded Kenya Urban Support Program ensuring minimal social and economic displacements during implementation, and training environmentalists and social safeguards officers and all contractors on implementation and adherence of environmental social management plans. Eric is an ICLD Alumni who attended the ITP Inclusive political leadership course (IPL) whose change project dealt on solid waste management targeting the largest dumpsite in Kiambu county called Kangoki dumpsite located in Thika town. He also attended Cities of values train.
Kubwooyo Rogers, City Commercial Officer, Jinja City, Uganda
Kubwooyo Rogers is based in Jinja, city in Uganda and currently the City Commercial Officer for Jinja City. A proud ICLD Alumni, Rogers attended the ITP programs on municipal financing supporting Local Development and Local Democracy and also participated in the diploma course organised by Lund University in collaboration with Swedish Institute and ICLD alumni on Human Rights and Gender Equality in Climate Disaster Displacement. Rogers has accumulated wealth of experience working in Local government spanning over 17years.
Dr. Ronald Ndesanjo, Climate action researcher, Institute of Development Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Lecturer at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Ronald is a human ecologist by training and Environmental Impact Assessment expert with vast experience in livelihoods and environmental and natural resource management. Dr. Ndesanjo’s expertise include climate change vulnerability, adaptation and mitigation; social and ecological systems’ resilience; environment, livelihoods and development, and class and natural resource tenure.
Yogi Setya Permana, Climate and governance researcher, The Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV), Universiteit Leiden, Neherlands
Yogi Setya Permana is a Ph.D. researcher affiliated with the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV) at Universiteit Leiden, where he focuses on climate governance in Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. His research specifically delves into the political economy of flood management in Indonesian cities. Additionally, he serves as a researcher at the Research Center for Politics within the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). His scholarly works have been featured in reputable publications such as the Journal of Contemporary Southeast Asia, Journal of Southeast Asia Studies, Journal of Religion, State and Society, Pacific Affairs, Springer Nature, New Mandala, East Asia Forum, and Inside Indonesia.
Moderator
John Gitonga, ICLD East Africa Alumni coordinator
About Alumni Talks
ICLD Alumni Talks leverage the expertise of former ICLD participants from training programmes, municipal partnerships and research projects, to create a constructive dialogue and exchange of experiences to advance the global knowledge of local democracy.
Are you an ICLD Alumni? Register for the alumni network here.
Contact: alumni@icld.se