One focus of the NDC Implementation project is the cooperation on climate change adaptation at the subnational level in China, such as supporting provinces with the local implementation of national adaptation strategies. After the selection of partner provinces in consultation with the political partners Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), the first half of 2024 was characterised by an intensive scoping phase during which the provinces put forward their focus areas that would benefit from international cooperation.
Following the scoping phase, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the German think tank Climate Analytics visited Guangxi Autonomous Region, Sichuan province and Shaanxi province for a series of workshops, field visits, and bilateral exchanges from July 17th to 24th. They aimed to kick off the cooperation, to meet with political partners in the provinces, to conduct expert exchange on focus topics with local research partners, and to agree on a common work plan.
Kick-off meeting with partner provinces © Scientific Research Academy of Guangxi Environmental Protection
Kick-off meeting in Guangxi
On 18 July, GIZ, in collaboration with China’s National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation (NCSC) and the Scientific Research Academy of Guangxi Environmental Protection, organised a kick-off meeting in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Autonomous Region. The meeting officially kickstarted the cooperation on subnational climate change adaptation and gathered around 31 representatives and experts from the three provinces.
In his opening speech, Mr. Chen Zhihua, Deputy Director General of NCSC, pointed to the success of international cooperation in the field of climate change adaptation, such as the Global Goal on Adaptation and concrete targets that have been agreed on during COP28. Both him and Mr. Zhang Xingying, Deputy Director General of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Department of Ecology and Environment, highlighted the increasing frequency of extreme weather in China, pointing to the urgent need to adapt to climate change. Mr Zhang further highlighted the strong impacts from flooding and water logging in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and wished that his autonomous region could learn from all attending parties to increase its adaptation capacity. Before starting with the expert exchange, Mr. Paul Recknagel, Director of the Sino-German Cooperation on Climate Change – NDC Implementation project, shared recent policy developments from Germany, where a climate change adaptation law has been adopted which requires each federal state to have its own strategy, also focusing on city and community level.
Visit to Guangxi Mangrove Research Center © Scientific Research Academy of Guangxi Environmental Protection
The kick-off meeting focused on providing methodological support for climate impact and risk assessments, as well as advisory services for developing local-level adaptation policies and action plans. Participants discussed the development of a vulnerability evaluation index system for mangrove areas in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which is crucial for protecting these sensitive ecosystems from the adverse effects of climate change. The elaboration of city-level adaptation action plans for Chengdu (Sichuan) and Tongchuan (Shaanxi) was another key topic, aiming to create tailored strategies that address the unique climate change challenges faced by these cities. Additionally, the meeting included in-depth discussions on adaptation analysis and planning for the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (Sichuan), an area particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. Participants also investigated best practices and policies for coastal carbon sinks in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, exploring ways to enhance the region’s capacity to absorb and store carbon dioxide.
Site visits to three partner provinces
In the course of a mission to each of the partner provinces in-depth exchanges with the Scientific Research Academy of Guangxi Environmental Protection, the Sichuan Academy of Environmental Policy and Planning, and the Institute of Earth Environment of Chinese Academy of Science Cooperation. served to thoroughly explore details of the cooperation. The discussions focused on objectives, content, milestones, and timelines of the joint research, ensuring that all parties had a clear understanding of the research roadmap. Assessing the needs for international experience and best practices, as well as aligning expectations regarding inputs from Climate Analytics and local implementation institutions was another critical aspect. Field visits provided valuable insights into the practical challenges and opportunities associated with provincial- and city-level climate adaptation work. The exchanges helped to build a strong foundation for future cooperation.
Visit to Sichuan Academy of Environmental Policy and Planning © Sichuan Academy of Environmental Policy and Planning
The practical exchanges during the expert mission strengthened mutual understanding of recent regulatory and practical developments and paved the way for deeper Sino-German cooperation on climate change adaptation. GIZ, NCSC and local partners will continue to work closely to advance the implementation of Chinas National Adaptation Strategy on the local level in provinces and cities, and build a solid foundation to increase the level of ambition of China’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
