Quezon City Climate Action Fellowship Program

The Quezon City Climate Action Fellowship Program is designed to foster collaborative partnerships between Quezon City's government, academic institutions, and vibrant community. This fellowship aims to accelerate the development and implementation of innovative, climate-responsive solutions tailored to the city's unique challenges and opportunities. By bringing together civil servants, students, and faculty, the program will facilitate the co-design, implementation, and monitoring of city-level climate action programs and policies. Fellows will learn about complex systems, deploy Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) methodology, and adapt governance innovations that help advance climate action. 

Program Goals:

• Foster University-City Codevelopment: Establish a sustainable framework for collaborative climate action between Quezon City government and local universities.

• Develop Climate-Responsive Solutions: Generate practical, evidence-based solutions to address Quezon City's climate vulnerabilities and promote resilience.

• Capacity Building: Enhance the knowledge and skills of civil servants, students, and faculty in climate action planning, implementation, and monitoring.

• Community Engagement: Promote active participation and ownership of climate initiatives among Quezon City residents.

• Policy Impact: Inform and strengthen Quezon City's climate policies and programs through research, innovation, and best practices.

Target Participants:

• Quezon City Civil Servants: Mid-career professionals from relevant city departments (environment, planning, infrastructure, social services, etc.) with a demonstrated commitment to climate action.

• University Students: Graduate and advanced undergraduate students from local universities with relevant academic backgrounds (environmental science, urban planning, public administration, engineering, etc.).

• University Faculty: Researchers and professors from local universities with expertise in climate change, sustainability, and related fields.

Program Structure:

The fellowship program will consist of the following key components:

1. Orientation and Training:

   • Intensive workshops on climate science, policy, and governance specific to Quezon City.

   • Training in collaborative project development, research methodologies, and community engagement.

   • Introduction to data analysis and visualization tools for climate-related information.

2. Collaborative Project Development:

   • Fellows will form interdisciplinary teams, comprising civil servants, students, and faculty.

   • Teams will identify specific climate challenges in Quezon City and develop project proposals for innovative solutions.

   • Projects will focus on areas such as:

     • Urban heat island mitigation.

     • Flood risk management and adaptation.

     • Sustainable waste management and circular economy.

     • Renewable energy and energy efficiency.

     • Sustainable transportation.

     • Community-based climate adaptation.

   • Projects will be designed to be implementable within Quezon City's existing structures.

3. Implementation and Monitoring:

   • Fellows will actively participate in the implementation of their projects in collaboration with relevant city departments.

   • Teams will develop and implement monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess project impact and effectiveness.

   • Data gathered from projects will be used to improve future city wide policies.

4. Knowledge Sharing and Dissemination:

   • Fellows will present their project findings and recommendations to city officials, academic institutions, and the wider community.

   • The program will facilitate the development of policy briefs, reports, and other knowledge products to inform climate action in Quezon City.

   • The program will host public forums and workshops to engage with the community.

Sample Interdisciplinary Projects:

Click here to see a sample project of our Fellows.

To illustrate the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of the fellowship projects, here are some examples:

• Project Title: Developing a Climate-Resilient Urban Greening Strategy for Quezon City

  • Disciplines: Urban Planning, Environmental Science, Landscape Architecture, Community Development, Public Administration.

  • Description: This project will involve analyzing urban heat island effects in Quezon City, identifying suitable green spaces, designing climate-resilient planting schemes, developing community engagement strategies for greening initiatives, and proposing policy recommendations for integrating urban greening into city planning.

• Project Title: Implementing a Smart Flood Early Warning System Using Community-Based Data

  • Disciplines: Engineering (Civil, Environmental, Computer), Data Science, Disaster Risk Management, Social Sciences, Local Governance.

  • Description: This project will focus on developing a flood early warning system that integrates real-time data from weather stations, sensors, and community-sourced information (e.g., social media reports). The project will involve designing the system architecture, developing data analysis algorithms, creating a user-friendly interface, training communities on data collection and use, and developing protocols for city-wide flood response.

• Project Title: Promoting Circular Economy in Quezon City's Waste Management Sector

  • Disciplines: Environmental Engineering, Business Administration, Economics, Public Policy, Sociology.

  • Description: This project will explore opportunities for transitioning Quezon City's waste management system towards a circular economy model. It will involve analyzing waste streams, identifying potential value chains for waste materials, developing business models for waste-based enterprises, assessing the economic and social impacts of circular economy initiatives, and proposing policy recommendations for promoting waste reduction, reuse, and recycling.

• Project Title: Quezon City Climate Diplomacy: Building International Partnerships for Climate Action

• • • Disciplines: International Relations, Public Policy, Urban Governance, Climate Science, Communication Studies.

    • Description: This project will focus on developing a strategic framework for Quezon City to engage in city-level climate diplomacy. Fellows will research and identify potential international partners (other cities, international organizations, funding agencies) for collaboration on climate action. They will develop communication strategies to showcase Quezon City's climate initiatives and best practices. Fellows will also explore opportunities for accessing international climate finance and technical assistance. The project will culminate in a city-level climate diplomacy plan, outlining key partnerships, strategies, and actions for international engagement.

Academic Track for University Student Fellows:

University students participating in the Quezon City Climate Action Fellowship Program will have the opportunity to integrate their fellowship experience into their academic studies through the following options:

• Thesis/Capstone Project: Students can use their fellowship project as the basis for their thesis or capstone project, allowing them to conduct in-depth research and contribute to academic knowledge on climate action in Quezon City.

• Internship/Practicum: Students can receive academic credit for their participation in the fellowship program, fulfilling internship or practicum requirements in their respective departments.

• Special Topics/Independent Study: Students can enroll in special topics or independent study courses to further explore specific aspects of their fellowship project under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

• Research Collaboration: Students can collaborate with faculty mentors on research publications and presentations based on their fellowship project findings, contributing to both academic and practical knowledge on climate action.

The academic track will ensure that student fellows gain valuable research experience, develop practical skills, and contribute to the academic community while making a meaningful impact on Quezon City's climate resilience.

Program Outcomes:

• Development of innovative, city-specific climate solutions.

• Strengthen civil servants, students, and faculty capacity to address climate challenges.

• Enhanced collaboration between Quezon City government and local universities.

• Increased community awareness and engagement in climate action.

• Improved climate policies and programs in Quezon City.

Application Process:

• Interested civil servants, students, and faculty will submit applications outlining their qualifications, experience, and interest in climate action.

• Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee comprising representatives from Quezon City government and participating universities.

• Selected fellows will be notified and invited to participate in the program.