Climate change adaptation in
Latin America and the Caribbean
- towards the development of
a Regional Network
Dr. Matilde Rusticucci
Buenos Aires, Argentina
31 August 2009
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List of contents
Introduction 1
What adaptation activities are being carried out in Latin America and the Caribbean? 2
Description of Latin America as in IPCC AR4 WGII 2
Identifying actors involved in adaptation to climate change 2
Contributions to and expectations from the Regional Network 3
Adaptation to Desertification 7
Networks related with adaptation to desertification 11
Adaptation in Health 12
Latin American Vector Control Network (RELCOV) 14
Adaptation in Agriculture 14
Adaptation in Coastal Areas 18
Are National Communications to the UNFCCC an indicator of actual adaptation policies in Latin American countries? 22
Some other networks and initiatives proposed by surveyed institutions to be considered when establishing the Regional Network 24
Climate change adaptation stakeholders 25
References and some web pages 27
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Introduction
This report was prepared at the request of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Tasks requested included reviewing existing information on climate change adaptation in Latin America and the Caribbean (as from the IPCC 4th Assessment Report – AR4), and conducting a stocktaking of actors (institutions, organizations, governments) involved in adaptation in the region. The overall objective of this work is to provide baseline information for the development of a Regional Network for adaptation to climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean, as part of the Global Adaptation Network.
This document contains a description of the Latin American and Caribbean region and the results of the survey that was carried out to identify potential participants in the Regional climate change adaptation Network (THE Regional Network). It also describes the main sectors that require adaptation measures, and the descriptions of adaptation actions whenever they were identified. It is worth mentioning that in most of the cases actions related with identifying vulnerabilities as well as other adaptation activities have been carried out with foreign financial support. A list is included of the stakeholders that were identified and that are willing to be part of the Regional Network.
Annex 1 contains the surveys received and Annex 2 a list of the institutions /individuals that responded to the survey.
What adaptation activities are being carried out in Latin America and the Caribbean?
Description of Latin America as in IPCC AR4 WGII
Latin America is highly heterogeneous in terms of climate, ecosystems, human population distribution and cultural traditions. Most of the rainfall is concentrated in the convergence zones or by topography, leading to strong spatial and temporal rainfall contrasts, such as the expected sub-tropical arid regions of northern Mexico and Patagonia, the driest desert in the world in northern Chile, and a tropical semi-arid region of north-east Brazil located next to humid Amazonia and one of the wettest areas in the world in western Colombia. A remarkable ecogeographical zone is that of the South America’s highlands, located in the tropics and presenting paramo-like (neotropical Andean ecosystem, about 3,500 m above sea level) landscapes with deep valleys (yungas) holding important biodiversity, with a wealth of vegetal and animal species.
In addition to weather and climate, the main drivers of increased vulnerability are demographic pressure, unregulated urban growth, poverty and rural migration, low investment in infrastructure and services, and problems with inter-sectoral co-ordination.
Climatic variability and extreme events have been severely affecting the Latin America region over recent years. During the last decades important changes in precipitation and increases in temperature have been observed. The projected mean warming for Latin America to the end of the century, according to different climate models, ranges from 1 to 4°C for the SRES emissions scenario B2 and from 2 to 6°C for scenario A2. Future sustainable development plans should include adaptation strategies to enhance the integration of climate change into development policies.
Some countries have made efforts to adapt, particularly through conservation of key ecosystems, early warning systems, risk management in agriculture, strategies for flood, drought, coastal management, and disease surveillance systems. Nevertheless, the establishment of a regional adaptation network may enhance their capacities.
In view of the great diversity and variability and the socio-political situations of the countries in the region, climate change adaptation measures are crucial for the development of the different sectors involved.
Identifying actors involved in adaptation to climate change
A survey was carried out with several institutions and experts in Latin American and Caribbean countries, to survey the opinions of the stakeholders, as well as their need and interest in participating in a regional adaptation network. The study was made electronically, sending out the surveys and analyzing information available on the internet.
Most of the contacts were provided by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI – www.iai.int), an intergovernmental organization devoted to developing multinational and multidisciplinary global change research projects (global change meaning climate change + socioeconomic consequences). One of the priorities of the Institute is the establishment of networks and the translation of scientific knowledge in information that can be useful to decision makers at all levels in the public and private sectors and to sustainable policy-making that would consider the changes that are already taking place and the ones that will occur in the future. In this sense, the Institute has a privileged position in the Americas in terms of contacts with institutions, researchers and, through them, NGOs and other social actors that are relevant to the development of effective networks in the areas of interest to the IAI. Workshops, short courses and summer institutes organized by the Institute jointly with other institutions and international programs are a major capacity building component in several themes related to global change.
Since the time to perform the survey was rather short, although 173 surveys were sent out, only 31 responses were received by August 25. Most of them were received by the deadline on August 15. However, an interesting fact is that answers continued to arrive after the deadline from people and institutions that had received the surveys from individuals or institutions initially contacted in the context of this consultancy. A longer period for the deadline would have made it possible to expand the range of results a wider dissemination of the survey among colleagues.
Responses were received from institutions, governmental organizations and NGOs, mainly with regional geographic scope, and few local cases. Experts, international project leaders and co-leaders, also have expressed their interest in being part of a climate change adaptation network.
Contributions to and expectations from the Regional Network
Below is a synthesis of the expectations from and potential contributions to the Regional Network of the surveyed institutions by country.
Argentina:
· National Water Institute (Instituto Nacional del Agua - INA) may provide diagnosis studies and exchange of information, and expects to receive scientific and technical support form the Regional Network.
· Argentine Institute of Nivology, Glaciology and Environmental Sciences (Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales - IANIGLA) may generate information and facilitate contacts with national and provincial governmental institutions.
· School of Agronomy, National University of La Pampa may provide education and information on soil and crop management techniques, as well as contacts with producers. They expect to receive financial support, exchange of information and support for the organization of meetings.
· Environmental Studies Group, National University of San Luis may provide education and contacts with farmers, and expects to get in contact with policy makers, and references to apply for grants.
· University of Buenos Aires may contribute to the Regional Network through its interdisciplinary program on climate change and by organizing interdisciplinary adaptation workshops.
Barbados
· Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) may provide education, information and exchange experiences, facilitate contacts with local decision makers and with decision makers in the area of disaster risk reduction, and expects to receive information and experiences from other countries, financial support and technical cooperation.
Brazil
· Institute of Atmospheric Sciences in Maceió may provide education and exchange of remote sensing and modeling information, and expects to receive collaboration in aspects of adaptation in semi-arid regions and preparedness for droughts.
· Embrapa Semi-arid may exchange information and provide consultancies, and expects to receive financial support for research and databases.
· Embrapa Informática Agropecuária may collaborate in the area of climate change and its impacts on agricultural production.
· Federal University of Paraná – Center for the Environment may provide education, information, and contacts with stakeholders and decision makers, and expects to participate in the exchange of information and researchers, and cooperation for the organization of meetings.
Chile
· Department of Environmental Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources, University of Chile may provide research, education, databases, exchange of information, and contacts with stakeholders and decision makers. They expect to receive support to strengthen the exchange of information and financial support for trips and contacts.
· Institute of Political Ecology may provide local and regional training thus facilitating contacts with stakeholders and decision makers, and expects to receive information, access to databases, political analyses and joint action plans, access to human and financial resources.
· Global Change Center – Catholic University may participate in the exchange of information, experiences and education and expects to participate in related networks.
· Regional UNESCO Office in Chile may provide education and participate in the exchange of information, facilitate contacts with social and business actors as well as with decision makers in the area of education. They expect to receive information and contacts.
Colombia
· Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM) may participate in the exchange of information and experiences with adaptation projects, and expects to receive training to formulate and evaluate adaptation projects and monitoring methodologies as well as support to generate climate change scenarios.
· Social and Environmental Sense (SENSE) may participate in the exchange of information, contacts with vulnerable stakeholders (indigenous groups, afro-Colombians, small and mid producers), and expects to obtain access to scientific information and funding sources.
· Ministry of the Environment, Housing and Territorial Development – Climate Change Mitigation Group may participate in the exchange of information and experiences, and expects to receive support to implement successful experiences and financial support for projects.
Costa Rica
· Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) may facilitate contacts with stakeholders and participate in the exchange of information. They expect that a global platform be established where to discuss on adaptation issues.
Ecuador
· Governmental Technical Secretariat for Risk Management may contribute in the area of education and facilitate contacts with stakeholders, and expects to participate in the exchange of information, experiences, projects and management models.
· International Center for Research of El Niño (CIIFEN) may provide education, training for stakeholders, and dissemination of adaptation strategies in different environments. They expect to participate in the exchange of knowledge, contacts and support to build and strengthen local capacities.
Guatemala
· CARE may participate in the exchange of information, contacts with social and institutional actors and decision makers as well as organization and awareness processes. They expect to receive information as well as technical and empirical references on prevention and mitigation actions and research funding sources.
· Fund for Ecological Development (ECOLOGIC) may contribute by promoting the exchange of experiences, contacts with community leaders, authority and the private sector, as well as with grass-root organizations, replicate field experiences. It expects to receive information, contacts with organizations that have succeeded in their working processes, and support for training.
· Forest National Institute may contribute by providing contacts with decision makers in the forestry area, and expects to receive advice to establish a climate change office.
· Planning and Organization Secretariat of the President’s Office (Segeplan) may collaborate by disseminating information, facilitating contacts with stakeholders, decision makers within the country and technology exchange, and expects to obtain updated information and guidelines for the society.
Honduras
· Honduran Association of Water System Management Boards (AHJASA) may collaborate by providing education, training and contacts with stakeholders and decision makers, and expects to share experiences through the Regional Network
· Tigra Friends Foundation may contribute in the areas of education, project formulation, contacts with cooperating organizations and decision makers, and expects to receive technical and financial support.
Mexico
· National Institute of Ecology (INE, by its initials in Spanish), could contribute to the dissemination of information and lessons learned from further adaptation projects, as well as capacity building and cooperation with other countries in the region.
· Ensenada Scientific Research and Higher Education Center (CICESE) may contribute with education, exchange of data and research exchanges, and expects to receive collaboration in the realization of de integrated climate change assessments, databases and regional models.
Peru
· Andean Community General Secretariat (Secretaría General de la Comunidad Andina) might facilitate the work with Andean countries and exchange information about ongoing projects, and expects to receive information and collaboration for joint activities with the countries of the Andean community.
Uruguay
· Ministry de Livestock, Agriculture y Fisheries might contribute by exchanging information, experiences, achievements, results, policies, networking –e.g. capacity building. They expect to receive technical information and opportunities for horizontal cooperation as well as support from specialized organizations and an internet platform /web site on adaptation to climate change and variability.
United States (these are researchers that focus their work on Latin America and the Caribbean)
· University of Miami may provide education, exchange of information and contacts with social actors and decision makers, and expects to receive adaptation data and methodologies.
· Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, University of Arizona may contribute by exchanging adaptation programs and experiences, contacts with adaptation action in Mexico, contacts with decision makers, outreach, mechanisms for the exchange of students. They expect that periodical meetings be held to exchange experiences, and financial support for the organization of meetings and collaborative efforts, invitations to conferences and seminars and contacts with experts in adaptation.