Knowledge
Asia-Pacific Regional Guidelines on Voluntary Local Reviews
Developed in cooperation with the Penang Platform for Sustainable Urbanization, the Asia-Pacific Regional Guidelines on Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) aim to provide Local and Regional Governments with tools, checklists and templates for reviewing local progress against the SDGs. In addition, the guidelines offer context-specific background on the 2030 Agenda for the region and pinpoint entry points to conduct a VLR. By providing these templates and formats to report in a cohesive manner the guidelines aim to formalise the VLR process.
Publisher: United Nations ESCAP
Publication Date: 2020
Copyright: United Nations
Good Climate Finance Guide: Lessons for Strengthening Devolved Climate Finance
Recognising the importance of climate finance for marginalised communities impacted by climate change, this paper presents lessons learned and outlines recommendations for better support to local actors. Looking into international climate funds and development financing mechanisms like the Green Climate Fund and UNCDF’s Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL) as well as case studies from Asia, the Caribbean and Latin-America, the report identifies “good climate finance” approaches. Based on this assessment the report provides recommendations on how locally led solutions can be supported through the effective delivery of climate finance and addresses how local actors can access funds to implement their own regional-specific strategies.
Authors: Marek Soanes, Sejal Patel, Feisal Rahman, Barry Smith, Dave Steinbach
Publication Date: 2020
Copyright: IIED
The Property Tax Diagnostic Manual
The Property Tax Diagnostic Manual provides officials and development partners with guidance on how to analyse immovable property tax systems and develop reform strategies in low- and middle-income countries. It includes a practical analytical framework, extensive discussion on policy and administrative options and considerations for the design of a strategic implementation plan, as well as draft TORs and illustrative questions to help guide such a diagnostic exercise. The manual draws on extensive international experience and includes four separate case studies for the Philippines, India, Pakistan and Zanzibar.
Authors: Roy Kelly, Roland White, Aanchal Anand
Publication Date: 2020
Copyright: The World Bank Group
The Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Regional and Local Governments
This brief sums up the key findings of the CoR-OECD-19 Survey, titled “The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on regional and local governments: governance, finance and recovery plans”. Conducted in June and July 2020 among representatives of subnational governments of the European Union, the online-survey received answers from 24 countries encompassing 300 subnational governments. The brief evaluates the data received by structuring it according to the overall financial impact witnessed by subnational governments as well as exit strategies and socio-economic recovery plans. The focus of the brief is on identifying how and if the COVID-19 crisis is reshaping regional development policy priorities.
Publisher: OECD
Publication Date: 2020
Copyright: OECD
COVID-19 and Local Humanitarian Action: Five Emerging Trends
Recognising the importance of tracking change in real-time, this new mapping tool by the Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG) documents how change towards more local humanitarian action and leadership triggered by COVID-19 can be tracked through the review of publicly available resources. Up to date the data of 30 countries has been integrated into the tool. Five notable key trends have been identified.
Author: Alexandra Spencer
Publication Date: 2020
Copyright: Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG) / Overseas Development Institute (ODI)
States of Fragility 2020
Tailored to the needs of policy makers and practitioners, the States of Fragility 2020 report provides insights into the universal phenomenon of fragility in states and societies in the context of SDG implementation and financing. In addition, it examines how communities can invest in resilience, peacebuilding and conflict prevention. By drawing on lessons learned through case studies the report connects policy to practice and highlights effective approaches for fragile working conditions to build more just and inclusive societies that leave no one behind.
Publisher: OECD
Publication Date: 2020
Copyright: OECD
Policy Note: Governance in Authoritarian Contexts
Published by the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) this policy note examines lessons learned from development cooperation and engagement in authoritarian contexts. Drawing on SDC’s own project experiences with working in authoritarian regimes, the policy note carves out recommendations for donors as well as their partners working in similar circumstances. Moreover, it includes findings from learning journeys on shrinking space for civil society (2018/19), on authoritarian regimes (2019/20) and on governance in fragile contexts (2018/19), making it a comprehensive resource combining both practical experience with academic research.
Publisher: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC
Publication Date: 2020
Copyright: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC
Catalysing Private Sector Investment in Climate Smart Cities
To fill the financing gap and catalyse private sector investment in climate-smart city projects and infrastructures, innovative instruments are required. Based on literature reviews, this report not only identifies key obstacles which hinder needed investments, but documents innovative financial instruments for private sector financing for low carbon, resilient urban investments.
Authors: Sandrine Boukerche, Lauren Carter
Publication Date: 2020
Copyright: The World Bank Group
The Analytics Playbook for Cities: A Navigational Tool for Understanding Data Analytics in Local Government, Confronting Trade-Offs, and Implementing Effectively
Written for practitioners in the field of city analytics and data units, this report explains how city governments can improve their operation’s efficiency while saving resources and enhancing services through proper data use. Several U.S. cities are cited as case studies. Additionally, the report highlights risks connected to the use of city analytics in an attempt to provide guidance to newly installed analytic data city-teams.
Authors: Amen Ra Mashariki, Nicolas Diaz, David Eaves
Publication Date: 2020
Copyright: Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation - Harvard Kennedy School
The Territorial Impact of COVID-19: Managing the Crisis Across Levels of Government
Besides identifying the regional and local impact of COVID-19 as extremely heterogeneous, this report provides an in-depth look at the consequences of the pandemic for the health/social, economic and fiscal dimension of OECD countries’ regions and municipalities. The brief provides good practice examples on how to alleviate and manage the pandemic’s territorial effects, and its implications for multi-level governance, subnational finance and public investment as well as examples for improving regional resilience.
Publisher: OECD
Publication Date: 2020
Copyright: OECD