Megacities Alliance for Water and Climate

General

Name of initiative Megacities Alliance for Water and Climate
LPAA initiative Yes
NAZCA Initiative Yes
Website address https://en.unesco.org/mawac/resources
Related initiatives
Starting year 2015
End year
Secretariat Alexandros Makarigakis, International Hydrological Programme (IHP), UNESCO Division on Water Science, phone: +33 616341023, e-mail: a.makarigakis@unesco.org
Organisational structure There is four partners in this Initiatives: UNESCO-IHP (International Hydrological Programme), ARCEAU-IdF (The Alliance of Water Stakeholders from the Paris Region), ICLEI (The Global Association of Local Governments Addressing Sustainability), and SIIAP Service Public de l'Assainissemnt Francilien).
Geographical coverage Global
Name of lead organisation UNESCO-IHP
Type of lead organisation United Nations or Specialised agency
Location/Nationality of lead organisation France

Description

Description The “Megacities Alliance for Water and Climate” initiative aims to enhance capacity building between megacities so that they can adapt better to climate change. It includes the setting up of a world-wide cooperation platform, within two years, to improve the dialogue on adapting to or mitigating the effects of climate change related to water in megacities which presently includes 32 local activities. The initiative aims help keep the global average temperature rise to below 1.5°C/ 2°C .
Objectives The realisation of concrete local goals;

Collecting data at a worldwide scale about strategies and results developed by local authorities and their water operators; Developing experience sharing between academics and operators and improving adaptation through best practices assessments; Identifying the means and mechanisms for funding the adaptation of megacities to the impacts of climate change on urban water.

Activities 2018: the cooperation platform is in operation.

2016-…: realisation of 32 local commitments.

One or two success stories achieved Not specially related to our initiative but examples exist on how best practices can be replicated from city to city (not necessary megacities by the way):

- Tokyo system of water aspersion on roads to combat heat-island effects has inspired Paris who has experimented an adapted version for future dissemination on a larger scale. - Sydney green infrastructure (Central Park buildings) is an inspiration for others with water recycling and reuse. - Paris and Amsterdam share ideas and experimentations on energy recovery from sewers and aqueducts. Those examples come from cities that can work without our megacities alliance; more success stories can be however developed within the network. But what we really want to achieve through the alliance is to help cities in developing countries to share their difficulties and then find solutions through the network of the megacities.

Monitoring and Impacts

Function of initiative Technical dialogue
Activity of initiative Knowledge dissemination and exchange, Knowledge production and innovation
Indicators
Knowledge production and innovation — Knowledge production or publication produced
Year2016
Value (#)15
Knowledge dissemination and exchange — Workshops and meetings for exchanging the knowledge
Year2017
Value (#)13
Goals The establishment within two years of an International Platform for Cooperation to facilitate a dialogue on water, with the aim of helping Megacities adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. Through this Platform, Megacities will learn from each other’s experience, exchange best practices, partner with appropriate technical, academic, and financial institutions, as well as design and implement their individual responses to the challenges of climate change.

Over a period of two years (2016-2018), the Platform will be established while the network is extended to new members, and the project takes its final shape. During this process, two temporary structures will be at work in a collaborative way: a UNESCO-IHP working group and a support unit The main objective of the first structure is to create an enabling environment for the creation of the Platform and to propose mechanisms for promoting synergies between Megacities at the local level and Member States (represented by the working group) at the national level. The second structure will work for two years on the implementation of the Platform, by i) identifying Megacities, raising their awareness about water and climate change and encouraging them to join the network; ii) defining the governance model and the terms of reference for the Platform; iii) implementing appropriate communication and information tools, including a website; and iv) creating and managing a network of stakeholders interested in the Platform. The working group and the support unit will both be actively involved in fundraising for the future Platform.

Comments on indicators and goals Have participated the 13 conferences in 2015-17. Knowledge production: Published monographs of 15 emblematic megacities in 2016.
How will goals be achieved
Have you changed or strenghtened your goals
Progress towards the goals Edition of a flyer presenting the initiative in March 2016. Launching of the UNESCO-IHP working group in June 2016. Edition and presentation at UN-HABITAT III of a book which summarize the monographs of 15 Megacities describing the key role they play in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 6 of the 2030 Agenda, pertaining to universal access to water and sanitation.
How are you tracking progress of your initiative List of the Megacities joining the initiative and assessment of funds given for the creation of the platform. Advances in establishing Regional Platforms of the Alliance (example in Asia with the NGO WaterLinks)
Available reporting See our webpage www.eaumega.org

Participants

Participants Number Names
Members 16  
Companies 0
Business organisations 0
Research and educational organisations 0
Non-governmental organisations 0
National states 0
Governmental actors 0
Regional / state / county actors 0
City / municipal actors 16 Beijing (China),  Buenos Aires (Argentina),  Chicago (USA),  Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam),  Istanbul (Turkey),  Kinshasa (Congo DR),  Lagos (Nigeria),  London (United Kingdom),  Los Angeles (USA),  Manila (Philippines),  Mexico City (Mexico),  Mumbai (India),  New York (USA),  Paris (France),  Seoul (South Korea),  Tokyo (Japan). All these cities have joined the initiative in 2016,  that has been launched in December 2015.
Intergovernmental organisations 0
Financial Institutions 0
Faith based organisations 0
Other members 0
Supporting partners 0
Number of members in the years
2018
16
Have only national states as participators No


Theme

Transport Agriculture Forestry Business Financial institutions Buildings Industry Waste Cities and subnational governments Short Term Pollutants International maritime transport Energy Supply Fluorinated gases Energy efficiency Renewable energy Supply chain emission reductions Adaptation Other Resilience Innovation Energy Access and Efficiency Private Finance
No No No No No No No No Yes No No No No No No No Yes No No No No No
Last update: 25 September 2020 08:46:05

Not only have national states as participators