What we are doing
With the number of people living in cities projected to reach 68% by 2050, mostly concentrated in Asia and Africa (90%), the role and capacity of local governments in addressing impacts of accelerated urbanization is critical. This requires integrated climate action: combining GHG avoidance and mitigation, as well as climate change adaptation and enhanced resilience. In this context (re)designing, building and improving, as well as scaling up sustainable urban infrastructure is critical for cities of all sizes. However, a significant technical and financial gap (staff capacity, knowledge, access to resources, etc.) hinders the need for action by subnational governments to promote urban transformation and develop robust and comprehensive climate strategies that will guide local implementation, especially in the Global South.
The Gap Fund addresses a pressing need by offering specialized technical assistance and tailor-made tools for early-stage projects. Although the support provided by the Fund is pivotal, it focuses only on a very specific part of the project preparation, while local governments need help throughout the whole development cycle, including guidance on the necessary steps to be taken at each stage.
The Gap Fund Step-Up (Gap Fund SUP) provides tailor-made support to selected local governments with priority projects which are at the pre-feasibility stage and which have received or are receibving the Gap Fund techical assistance. The Gap Fund SUP aims to further empower selected cities in Africa and Latin America on accessing financing. The support provided focuses on strengthening capacities of local government staff to further develop or improve the conceptualization of urban infrastructure projects, in the preparation for the proposed investment.
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How we are tracking
- Up to seven (7) LG mapping/assessment results (per region) to inform regional work plans
- Up to 2 representatives from 4 core LGs/cities that already received TA from the Gap Fund (max. 8
participants)
- Up to 2 participants from each additional city from max 3 additional cities (max. 6 additional
representatives).
- Two capacity building methodologies (one per region)
- Eight (8) work plans for core participants
- Two regional work plans
- Up to 14 Letter of Commitments (7 per RCoMP)
- Two sets of city pairs per region
- Two (2) facilitated in-person workshops with accompanying materials per Regional CoMP
- Four (4) Virtual exchanges and capacity development opportunities per Regional CoMP with accompanying materials
- Successful international event, with public summary of highlights and key messages released in English (potentially also in Spanish and/or Portuguese and/or French).
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What we are achieving
The Gap Fund SUP project facilitates knowledge exchange and transfer through tailored support and interactive technical capacity building sessions, focusing on existing gaps to be addressed for successful project pitching and to leverage investments. The project utilizes technical thematic support and peer learning-sharing, moving from information and knowledge generation to establishing a more in-depth and long-term approach to build capacity and connections between the cities.
Using the various methodologies and products it has developed, ICLEI will facilitate sessions for technical capacity building, city pairing-and-sharing, and Regional Communities of Practice in South America and Africa. The project supports 5 cities in South America (Cuenca and Portoviejo in Ecuador, and Campinas, Palmas and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil) and four cities/consortiums of cities in Africa (in North Africa: Chefchaouen – Morocco, and a consortium composed of La Marsa, Carthage, and Sidi Bou Said – Tunisia; and in East Africa, Kisumu – Kenya, and a consortium made of Makindye, Entebbe, Nansana, and Kira – Uganda). Each region focusses on one key sector: in South America, nature-based solutions for biodiversity and water, and, in Africa, sustainable waste management.
Mechanisms to be used to foster learning and sharing, networking and expanding the community of practice, will be: City pairing, regional CoMPs, tailored technical capacity development workshops, virtual learning and sharing, and international exchange.
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