Inspired by the global Conference of Parties (COP) on Climate Change, PDAG, in collaboration with Asar and Damodar Bachao Abhiyan, conceptualised and designed the ‘Conference of Panchayats’ (CoP). A multi-stakeholder initiative, it adopted an inverted pyramid approach and emphasised the critical role of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in advancing locally-led climate action.
Since 2022, over the course of two state-level convenings and six sub-regional convenings, we have brought PRI representatives from 250 Gram Panchayats across the five administrative divisions of Jharkhand, providing a platform for regional discussions. These gatherings have allowed PRI representatives to discuss, deliberate and exchange local learnings and solutions to address local climate-related challenges, exchange strategies to tackle these issues and explore financing opportunities for locally-led climate action initiatives.