Climate change adaptation mainstreaming in the planning instruments of two South African local municipalities

Figures & data

Figure 1. The relationship between the planning process and how climate response and adaptation is meant to be integrated throughout the planning process (adapted from UN-Habitat, 2007; C40 Cities, 2018).

Table 1. Analytical framework for assessing the extent to which climate change adaptation is mainstreamed into planning instruments (adapted from National Treasury, 2018).

Dimensions	Criteria
Visioning principles and strategic planning	Criterion 1: Informs or considers climate change response, resilience and/or sustainability in the guiding principles and strategies.
	Criterion 2: Articulates desired climate change response and/or adaptation goals and outcomes.
Profiling and action planning	Criterion 3: Identifies critical assets that are most at risk and/or exposed to climate impacts, including infrastructure and communities.
	Criterion 4: Identifies resources and/or ecological infrastructure to support climate change response and adaptation.
	Criterion 5: Contains actions or interventions that support climate change response goals and outcomes, i.e. climate change adaptation actions and measures.
Implementation planning, monitoring and evaluation (M&E)	Criterion 6: Earmarks additional investment or fiscal support for climate change response and/or adaptation.
	Criterion 7: Actions climate change response goals and outcomes through institutional arrangements.
	Criterion 8: Reflects climate change response goals and outcomes in an M&E framework.

Table 2. Assessment of the extent of climate change adaptation mainstreaming in Cape Town and Thulamela's planning instruments.

		Cape Town			Thulamela
Dimension	Criteria	IDP	SDF	BEPP	IDP	SDF
Visioning principles and strategic planning	Criterion 1	3	3	2	1	3
	Criterion 2	2	3	1	1	2
	Sub-total	5	6	3	2	5
Profiling and action planning	Criterion 3	2	2	2	2	2
	Criterion 4	3	3	2	2	2
	Criterion 5	3	3	3	1	3
	Sub-total	8	8	7	5	7
Implementation planning, monitoring and evaluation (M&E)	Criterion 6	2	1	2	1	2
	Criterion 7	1	1	2	1	1
	Criterion 8	1	1	1	1	2
	Sub-total	4	3	5	3	5
	Total score	17	17	15	10	17
	Percentage (%)	71	71	63	42	71

UN-Habitat, 2007. A guide for municipalities: Sustainable urban development planning, inclusive and sustainable urban development planning. United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), Nairobi.

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C40 Cities, 2018. Climate action planning framework.

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National Treasury, 2018. Climate Mainstreaming in South African Cities: High level analysis of key strategic planning documents (No. Phase 1a), The provision of technical and strategic recommendations to mainstream climate responsiveness into city plans, budgets and grant conditions. National Treasury: Cities Support Programme.

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