Integrated climate action planning (ICLAP) 2050 tool in Asia-Pacific cities

While the climate change phenomenon is global in GHG contributions and impacts; there is a growing consensus to respond to the 2oC challenge through concerted local actions. However, there is disintegrated knowledge on (a) Short, mid and long-term climate vulnerability at the sub-national level (b) How variedly do different societies contribute to climate change- their GHG structures, and (c) What climate action are governments and organizations taking at the local level, across the globe. This research aims to create a collaborative network of experts to prepare an integrated climate action planning (ICLAP) decision-making tool for settlements with 5 million+ population in the Asia Pacific to enable them in evidence-based climate action. . The tool will help cities know their mid-term climate variability, current and future GHG profiles and available solutions at their disposal. The project is supported by the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) under their Collaborative Regional Research Programme. For more details on ICLAP 2050, visit the APN's project webpage here. For the latest in this research, view recent dissemination activities here.

International Urban Climate Conference

The aim of the International Urban Climate Conference 2023 (IUCC) is that despite lingering COVID-19 related travel challenges, enable a sufficient degree of interaction between scientists and policy-makers to discuss ICLAP project results, especially in context of key development trajectories and urban climate and environmental issues. It is important to have a holistic understanding of the expert’s opinions on ICLAP findings in their country/ region as in what are the most important takeaways for their cities? and What measures can be taken for implementing these findings while overcoming local developmental or governance related challenges? Secondly, IUCC 2023 intends to introduce ICLAP 2050 tool to urban decision makers, policy planners, urban experts, research scholars, students, etc. through hands on testing/ training of the tool, its different features, demonstrating possible applications in practice, along with scientifically reporting its results. The conference thus not only shares recent project findings with different stakeholders but also incites their opinions to pave a way forward for integrated climate planning in the Asia-Pacific.

Program: New Delhi +online January 2023

Segment I: Presentations of Findings by ICLAP experts (Online)

Japanese Cities: Aki Suwa/ Ram Avtar
Chinese Cities (Lijing Liu)
Australian Cities (Akhilesh Surjan)
Indian Cities (Mahendra Sethi)
SE Asian cities (Eva A.)

Segment II: Introductory lecture on ICLAP model to local participants in New Delhi (Mahendra Sethi)

Introduction to climate change Role of cities in climate change- causations and impacts
Issues and challenges in scientific evaluation of urban climate change
Methods- Introduction to the ICLAP model

Segment III: Testing / hands-on training session of ICLAP tool (Shilpi Mittal, Mahendra Sethi)

Elements of the ICLAP 2050 tool
Hands-on working of tool features
Interpreting results for practical application
Reporting and referencing ICLAP 2050

Joint/Hybrid Training Workshop, 23–25 May 2023

Day I: Project meetings

Day 2: Need of Integrated Climate Action Planning (ICLAP)

Cities and climate change- causations and impacts
Issues in scientific evaluation of urban climate change
Methods- Introduction to the ICLAP model
Team Meeting

ISARD New Delhi and Hokkaido University, Japan

Day 3: Using the ICLAP 2050 tool

Elements of the ICLAP 2050 tool
An introduction of the tool features
Interpreting results for practical application
Reporting and referencing ICLAP 2050
Discussion and feedback

Joint/Hybrid Training Workshop, 23-24 November 2023 by ISARD New Delhi, DIPL and Charles Darwin University, Australia

Climate change represents a significant challenge to individuals, communities, governments, businesses, industry and the environment globally. Australian Academy of Science published scientific projection of Australia under 3°C of global warming – a future we all must prepare for. This aligns with the global consensus on limiting temperature rise to under 2°C through local action. However, at the local level, there is disintegrated knowledge on: (a) short-, mid- and long-term climate vulnerability, (b) the current economy and GHG structures and their future pathways, and (c) useful mitigation and adaptation measures undertaken elsewhere. Key scholars from selected countries largely supported by APN developed an Integrated Climate Action Planning (ICLAP) model which serves as an evidence-based decision making tool for policy makers, planners and urban experts. This training workshop jointly organized by ISARD New Delhi, Charles Darwin University and Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics (DIPL), Northern Territory Government is meant to learn about ICLAP. The tool adopts an innovative methodology integrating knowledge, data and diverse analytics i.e. spatial, statistical and bibliometric analysis that collectively aid cities on policy inputs for mid-term urban climate variability, GHG profiles and available solutions at local disposal. The participants find that the collaboratively designed open-access tool is useful in scientific reporting on future climate scenarios, guiding climate responsive strategies in cities along with fostering overall urban, regional and global sustainability.

Joint/Hybrid Training Workshop, 22–23 January 2024 by ISARD New Delhi and Prince Songkla University, Thailand

Day I: Project meeting by team members and interactive session between ICLAP team and the PSU faculty

Day 2: Training workshop - lecture and hands-on session

The training intends to introduce the ICLAP 2050 tool to urban experts, research scholars, students, etc. through hands-on testing/ training of the tool, its different features, demonstrating possible applications in practice, along scientific reporting of its results. The training thus not only shares recent project findings with different stakeholders but also incites their opinions to pave a way forward for integrated climate planning in the Asia-Pacific.

The topics covered during the workshop include the following:

Need of Integrated Climate Action Planning
Issues in scientific evaluation of urban climate change
Methods- Introduction to the ICLAP model
Elements of the ICLAP 2050 tool and its features
Interpreting results for practical application
Reporting and referencing ICLAP 2050
Discussion and feedback