Mr wicaksono jakarta1 congress paper in jakarta 2012

Reforming Local Governance – Creating Resilient Cities A Presentation at the Fourth Congress of the United Cities and Local Governments – Asia Pacific Jakarta 2 October 2012

Wicaksono Sarosa Partnership for Governance Reform

Presentation Outline 1. Introduction 2. Why local governments and communities?

3. Current challenges faced by cities in the Asia-Pacific region – and the need to rethink about the way we plan and manage cities 4. The need for cities to be resilient 5. The need for most/many local governments to be reformed 6. A few case studies 7. Conclusions and recommendations www.kemitraan.or.id

2

Introduction This presentation uses the broader definition of “resilience”, which refers to the capacity or ability of a system to absorb shocks and stresses [conference TOR] A resilient city is one that has developed capacity to help absorb future shocks and stresses to its social, economic and technical systems and infrastructures so as to still be able to maintain essentially the same functions, structures, systems and identity [www.resilientcity.org as quoted in the conference TOR]

Reform refers to changes or improvement for better conditions or corrections of “wrong” practices.

Local governance reform is fundamental changes at the local level that can be internally initiated or/and externally induced/supported www.kemitraan.or.id

3

Why Local Governments and Communities?

Local governments and communities are the ones who will first deal directly any possible disaster Local governments and communities are the ones who most likely posses local knowledge and local wisdom that are often fitting to the local situations regarding hazards As most initiatives require local actions, they are also most-likely more successful when they are supported by local networks and local leaderships www.kemitraan.or.id

4

Why Local Governments and Communities?

But local governments and communities cannot work alone They need support from the national government and actors as well as from the relevant international communities However many initiatives are not sustainable and too project-oriented...

To create more sustainable resilience initiatives, we need the right approach(es) as well as multistakeholder supports www.kemitraan.or.id

5

Many Things Have Done Hyogo Framework for Action 2005 – 2015 and its national/local adaptation National regulations and institutionalization (In the case of Indonesia: Law 24/2007 and establishment of BNPB) and local implementation Supports (expertise, funds, networks, etc) from donors such as UNDP, UNISDR, bilateral donors, relevant international NGOs – most of them are in collaboration with national/local governments and organizations University networks Some local-based intiatives www.kemitraan.or.id

6

But There Many More Things That Need to be Done But the “homeworks� are still huge Many other local areas and communities are not yet covered or adopting the preparedness measures The ones that already have strategies or action plans on paper have not put them into practice

What Have Been the Problems, Hindrances, Challenges? www.kemitraan.or.id

7

Current Urban Challenges in Asia-Pacific Region Asia-Pacific “region” is one of the most diverse “region” in the world: in terms of culture, geography, socio-economic development and many other aspects of life One thing in common: the region is urbanizing – with more and more people living in urban areas (of which, many are densely populated) Cities have been the drivers of the economic growth Many countries are decentralizing their governance, transfering more government functions and responsibilities to local governments Some countries are experiencing democratization, where civil society has more says in the public processes www.kemitraan.or.id

8

Current Urban Challenges in Asia-Pacific Region With all of the above transformations going on in the regions, local governments and communities are facing some other challenges The region is also part of the “Ring of Fire” and prone to various natural hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic explosions, typhoons and others.

But is also prone to semi-natural and humaninstigated or human-made hazards: floods, deseaseoutbreak, urban fire, forest fire, violent civil conflicts, etc.

The human-made hazards can be expanded to cover “things” that are gradual (not-sudden), in front of us on dailiy basis, but potentially creating disasters lifestyles, deforestations, reckless use of ground water, etc. www.kemitraan.or.id

9

Current Urban Challenges in Asia-Pacific Region Physical-environmental aspects: some cities are built in naturally fertile but hazard-prone areas such as in lowlying river delta or mountainous steep slopes Socio-cultural aspects: some people are either unaware or fatalistic toward potential disasters. Social capital has generally been diminishing in bigger cities Economic-financial aspects: local governments (and communities) are generally cash-strapped and unable to maximize local economic potentials wisely Legal-institutional (and political) aspects: politics is often short-term, populist yet self-interest oriented www.kemitraan.or.id

10

The Need for Reforms Because the challenges are multi-dimensional, the reforms needed tend to also be multi-layered

At the paradigmatic level: instilling community awareness and pressuring for political will – persuading local leadership that it is important to “be prepared�...

At the systemic level: developing supportive policies, strategies and regulations, matched by adequate budgets

At the practical level: conducting preparedness training and drills; cross-learning with others

Without this multi-layered approach, the initiative will not be sustainable www.kemitraan.or.id

11

But, How? One way of national government engages cities to pursue resiliency Promoted by national government through incentives, TA and regulations

External contexts, actors and factors

LGs and community implement sustainable urban development practices

Put forward by donor-supported projects

Developed through “peer-to-peer� learning (city-to-city cooperation)

Pressured / advocated by civil society

Initiated by visionary local leaders and supported by responsive bureaucracy

Internal contexts, actors and factors www.kemitraan.or.id

12

But, How? One way of national government engages LGs for sustainable urban resiliency National government provide technical and financial assistance to LGs with limited capacities

“Graduated” LGs

“Graduated” LGs “Graduated” LGs “Graduated” LGs

Period-1

Period-2

National government provides incentives & disincentives for capable LGs Period-3

Period-4

Period-5

Similar principle of increasing local participation should also be applied to any other externally-induced initiatives www.kemitraan.or.id

13

Conclusions and Recommendations Local governments and local communities play crucial role in making cities resilient Yet, there are a number of challenges in engaging LGs to adopt and implement the necessary measures The challenges are of various levels There are particular ways in approaching LGs, which potentially help ensure more sustained implementation of the principles www.kemitraan.or.id

14

Thank You

e-mail: wicaksono.sarosa@kemitraan.or.id e-mail: wicak.sarosa@gmail.com blog: http://wicaksarosa.blogspot.com