Huila vulnerability assessment presented to national-level institutions
OAmong those who attended the meeting were: Rodrigo Suárez, Climate Change Director at MADS (Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development); as well as several members of his team, Vicky Guerrero, Coordinator of the Global Change Group at IDEAM (Institute for Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies); Diana Hernández, who works with the National Adaptation Plan at DNP (National Planning Department); and several members of the team of 4D Elements Consultores, the local consulting firm who carried out the assessment.
The meeting started with a brief introduction by Claudia Martínez, the General Director of E3, talking about the Huila process in general, the lessons learned while conducting the vulnerability assessment, and the experience of presenting the results to the municipal mayors in two workshops that were held in late 2013. Following Claudia’s presentation, Natalia Hernandez, of 4D, made a presentation describing the methodology used in the vulnerability assessment. The Municipal Vulnerability Fact-sheets that were made based on the results of the assessment were also presented.
Throughout the meeting, other discussions took place, including talks of deciding on a methodology to conduct vulnerability assessments for the rest of Colombia that would make it possible to compare the vulnerability levels of different municipalities using the Huila assessment as a reference point. In general, national institutions working on climate change expressed interest in the assessment carried out for Huila, as it is a pioneer effort in Colombia.
FCMC, through the Colombian consulting firm E3, provides technical support to increase awareness of climate change impacts and options for addressing these impacts in the province of Huila. The principal target audience is provincial and municipal decision-makers, including local mayors, who can begin to examine how to integrate climate change solutions into their land use and development plans. Workshops such as this and the information on vulnerability provided by E3 is an important step. This information will further inform a Climate Change Action Plan for Huila that will provide a guiding framework for addressing climate change. The work supported by FCMC through E3 in Huila will also generate lessons learned from province-wide climate change planning in other areas of the country.
Videos
Click below to watch a video that gives a broad overview of the FCMC-supported Huila 2050: Preparing for Climate Change Project in Colombia.
Click below to watch a video interview with Chris Abrams, Director of the Environment Office, USAID/Colombia, giving his perspective on the Huila 2050 project and support from USAID through FCMC.
Click below to watch a video highlighting the FCMC-supported Huila 2050 project, focusing on the vulnerability assessments and the mayors' meeting.
Click below to watch an interview with Rey Ariel Borbón, former Director General of CAM, discussing climate change in Huila, the Huila 2050 project and FCMC's role in supporting the project.
