Climate change regulations in subnational governments of the Southeast Asian countries: case studies from Indonesia and the Philippines

As of 2023, all Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states (AMS) have ratified the 2015 Paris Agreement and submitted their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The majority of these NDCs acknowledge the critical role of subnational governments in fulfilling their climate commitments. This research examines the scope of subnational climate regulations and policies through case studies in Indonesia and the Philippines. The findings reveal that in both countries, subnational climate regulations and policies fall short of matching the ambition of the national NDCs. The research identifies several factors contributing to this gap, including: (i) regulations being introduced superficially; (ii) slow transmission of policies from national to subnational levels; (iii) a focus on short-term projects; (iv) a lack of prioritisation of climate issues; (v) limited understanding and awareness of climate change impacts at the local level; and (vi) the absence of a clear
framework for integrating other non-state actors.