A stakeholders meeting of the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) in South East Asia took place back-to-back to the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Kuala Lumpur. The meeting was attended by:
- Natividad Lorenzo, European Union, Foreign Policy Instrument (FPI)
- Paolo Bertoldi, European Commission, Joint Reserach Centre JRC
- Shannon McDaniels, Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) Secretariat
- Bernadia I. Tjandradewi, UCLG ASPAC
- Milag San Jose-Ballesteros, C40
- Hanah Paik, CDP
- Gyengchul Kim, UCLG ASPAC
- Laids Mias-Cea, UN Habitat
- Giorgia Rambelli, IUC Coordination Unit
- Cesar Carreno, ICLEI
- Bernhard Barth, UN Habitat
- Vic Aquitania, ICLEI
- Miriam Badino, ICLEI
- Pablo Gándara, IUC-Asia
- Fatimah Nirwana, IUC-Asia (Helpdesk)
- Benny Adiasmoro, IUC Asia (Helpdesk)
Summary of the Meeting:
Welcoming and introductory remarks were delivered by Shannon McDaniels, Director 0f Data Strategy at the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) Secretariat and Paolo Bertoldi from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission. Natividad Lorenzo, Task Manager of the EU’s FPI, mentioned that – as agreed among the GCoM partners in 2017 – the IUC SupportDesk has taken up functions as the main focal point supporting the GCoM activities in Asia. She introduced the helpdesk team. Shannon McDaniels explaining the communication activites of the GCoM Secretariat including the global website, which has been linked to the GCoM regional website. She also updated participants on the progress of the GCoM technical group working. Participants exchanged views about the data submission process and the data portal project. It was agreed to support cities in setting GHG baseline inventories as a basis for data collection. Challenges for the data collection in different sectors like transport and waste were discussed. Paolo Bertoldi from the EU’s JRC introduced some technical advice activities for the EU Commission on energy and climate change, especially to help the European Covenant of Mayors on data collection, assessment, and report mechanism. The JRC has recently initiated training support for Asian cities within the IUC-Asia project. Pablo Gándara from the IUC project explained that the GCoM Mayors website has been launched by and invited partners to provide news and best practices. He also presented some training activities planned for 2018 including South Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam. Mr Gándara also informed the possibility of Melaka State joining the GCoM (talks held with the Honorary Chief Minister of Melaka back-to-back to the WUF).
- Likewise, emphasizing the need to level national support that Nati coordinating IUC Asia project with strong support with JRC.
Bernadia
- Bernadia giving update about the interest of the training centre established by Ministry of Construction in Vietnam to cooperate with IUC project that the centre will put a mandatory for local governments.
- There are exact possibility for Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry and Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure to join with the project as well.
- Bernadia also highlighting the local governments roles that needs to strengthen local association at the countries.
- Highlighting that we will have ASEAN Mayors Forum on July in Singapore and the Singaporean government has interest in hosting GcoM. We can have opportunity to do some signing of GCoM for several cities.
- Likewise, showing opportunity for GcoM to be included in the UCLG ASPAC Congress in Surabaya on September 2018.
Milag
- Stating that C40 is working completely alligning inventories, such as, Jakarta, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh alligned for with data inventories.
- Explaining the Deadline 2020 program that focused on acceleration network.
- Highlighting the challenges, such as, the absence of data and cities finance facility/funding.
- Discussing about cluster smaller cities and knowledge product.
- Then, Paolo asking if all cities who sign up with the C40 will sign to GcoM Secretariat. And the Milag said that’s the idea. Steven said in 2016 there was controling regulation from ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Shannon further asked the possibility C40 partnering with other organizations, like ICLEI. Then Milag stating that C40 still figuring out in terms of flexibility.
Hannah
- Explaining the role of CDP and experience having partnership with Iskandar Malaysia that recenty they approaching to the GcoM secretariat.
- Shen then continues that Iskandar Malaysia using regional development approaches to the cities that we can take example for it.
- Regarding Iskandar Malaysia, there are a lot learning program that can be taken for product knowledge because they have much best practice in Asia.
- Strong political support of EU side to work with Iskandar.
- Highlighting the sustainable cities.
Vic
- Telling the experience of cooperation with Melaka State. Melaka State coordinate with South East Asia office directly.
- He mentioning that previously he cooperated with Ministry of Environment, Bappenas, Home Affairs related to authority and national policy in Indonesia.
- Highlighting barriers in implementing low carbon policies and the cities should be part of our system planning.
Next Steps
- Mapping template and specifying GCoM data.
- Next GcoM meeting will be in Singapore during ASEAN Mayors Forum.
- Possibility of training in Gwangju, Korea in the middle of March 2018.
- IUC Training in the end of April in Jakarta.
