How can local governments get more actively involved in the CTI-CFF?

CTI-CFF recognizes the significance of engaging local governments among many stakeholders who are at the forefront of resource management and protection – two critical management functions if effectively carried out can potentially add up to accomplishing CTI-CFF goals in a larger scale. 

At the regional level, one of the initiatives where local governments can actively participate in is through the CTI Local Governance Network (CTI LGN).  This network is a venue for local governments in CT region to collaborate, share information, experience and expertise and advocate policies to achieve the goals of CTI-CFF.  Though still in infancy stage, the CTI LGN plans to meet biannually through its Mayors Round Table (MRT) meeting.  You can contribute your ideas and proposed agenda to this meeting by requesting the CTI CFF website administrator registration to the CTI LGN workspace.  This network can be a source of collective voice of local governments in CT region.

At the national level, local governments can reach out to the CTI National Coordinating Committee (NCC).  Contact details of your NCC in provided in this website-please check.  Each country in CTI adopted its own National Plan of Action (NPOA) which provides stakeholders such as local governments with roadmap for accomplishing CTI-CFF goals.  Local governments can tap programs and services of national agencies and nongovernmental organizations which comprise the NCC to advance CTI-CFF at the local level.  Conversely, local governments may also align its programs, projects and activities with the NPOA and provide feedback on the results accordingly to the NCC.

In addition, local governments can also inquire with its local government association (LGA) about CTI-CFF.  Recently, some LGAs have expressed interest or have been officially adopted as member of the CTI National Coordinating Committee.  Member-local governments may request your LGA to report on the progress-programs, projects and activities relative to CTI-CFF in your country. LGAs may also advocate for adoption of policies, programs and projects to improve implementation of NPOA at the local government level.

At the local level, local governments can meaningfully contribute to achieving CTI-CFF goals by planning, implementing, or supporting programs in its geographical jurisdiction that relate to management and protection of seascapes, marine protected areas, fisheries, climate change adaptation and threatened species.  Local governments may collaborate with other neighbouring areas, share the results to its LGA, and its NCCs.  Local governments may document these practices and successes and share these to the broader CTI LGN in its workspace and to the bi-annual MRT meetings.

 William Jatulan
 Senior Regional Coordinator
 US CTI Support Program
 wjatulan@uscti.org