Regional workshop for Latin American countries: integrated management of climate and disaster risks

Latin America and the Caribbean is the second most disaster-prone region in the world and one of the most exposed to climate events and thus to the adverse effects of climate change. The region is consistently affected by droughts, heavy rains, hurricanes and the El Niño/La Niña events.

The increasing impacts of climate events in the region are a sign of the high vulnerability of the countries, closely linked to their conditions of economic and social inequalities, as well as to their institutional and governance vulnerabilities. These factors foster dynamics of human mobility, expansion of informality and environmental degradation, among others, which translate into an increasing exposure of communities, infrastructure and livelihoods to hazards of natural, socio-natural and anthropogenic origin.

The climate crisis is considered one of the greatest hazards to humanity and the planet. Climate-related disasters have almost doubled over the last two decades compared to the previous twenty years, with more extreme weather and climate events and greater impacts. This has aggravated inequalities within and between countries in our region, despite their lower contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions compared to many other industrialised countries.

According to data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in its report The State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean 2022, the average rate of temperature increase was approximately 0.2°C per decade between 1991 and 2021, compared to 0.1°C per decade between 1961 and 1990. Glaciers in the tropical Andes have lost at least 30% of their area since the 1980s, and the retreat of glaciers and the corresponding loss of ice mass have increased the risk of water scarcity for the Andean population and ecosystems.

Sea levels in the region have continued to rise faster than the global average, particularly along the Atlantic Coast of South America, south of the equator, in the subtropical North Atlantic and in the Gulf of Mexico. Sea level rise poses a hazard to a significant proportion of the population living in coastal areas by contaminating freshwater aquifers, eroding coastlines, flooding low-lying areas and increasing the risk of storm surges.

In order to improve the capacities of countries in Latin America in the preparation and implementation of integrated Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) plans, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the Government of Colombia (Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development -MADS- and the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management -UNGRD), the German Cooperation Agency (GIZ) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will hold a Regional Workshop on "Integrated Climate and Disaster Risk Management" from 30 July to 1 August 2024 in Cali, Colombia.

This workshop will be aimed at DRR and CCA governing bodies from participating countries and will be an opportunity to facilitate a better understanding of existing initiatives at national and regional level, particularly in Latin America, with a view to strengthening their use and integration. Virtual exchange spaces with representatives of planning and sustainable development, economic and financial entities will be considered.

Justification

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) share the common goal of reducing vulnerability and strengthening capacities towards resilience. This is reflected in the overarching goals and objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, among other international agreements. The UNFCCC COP 28 and the Paris Agreement (CMA 542) identified mitigation, adaptation, finance, and loss and damage as priority areas, all of which are mutually shared across all domains. The Political Declaration of the High-Level Meeting on the Mid-Term Implementation Review of the Sendai Framework (MTR SF) generated strong findings and recommendations. For example, the threat of climate change was noted, as well as the need for 2023 to be a course correction period.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) has been implementing the Comprehensive Climate and Disaster Risk Management (CRM) Programme, a flagship initiative fully aligned with Target E of the Sendai Framework, which seeks to increase the number of countries with national and local DRR strategies. The promotion of policy coherence with climate change, among others, is one of the defined principles. Furthermore, it aligns with the Paris Agreement, including the global goal on adaptation to enhance resilience, reduce climate impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity, and accelerate ecosystem-based adaptation and nature-based solutions. It also synergizes with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Goal 13 on Climate Action, where Target 13.2 relates to national planning.

The CRM approach aims to integrate DRR into national adaptation plans (NAPs), climate information and adaptation considerations into DRR plans, and, where relevant and acceptable, develop an integrated plan. The CRM approach is therefore key to making the transition towards integrated plans and policies, underpinned by a shared understanding of risk with a high level of institutional coherence. An integrated approach between DRR and CCA takes into account a range of factors to deliberately strengthen synergies by identifying mutually beneficial opportunities between policies and programs while developing governments' capacities for cross-sectoral planning.

For its part, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) promotes the integration of DRR and CCA agendas in development processes and has developed a guide to facilitate the review of development coordination, planning, programming, and financing mechanisms, which has been implemented in Cuba, Costa Rica, and Ecuador. In addition to the DRR and CCA governing bodies, the involvement of planning and sustainable development, economy and finance, and sectoral ministries is encouraged. In 2024, Colombia and Panama have joined this process.

Workshop Objectives

General Objective

To strengthen the capacities of participating countries in the development and implementation of integrated plans and to support regional efforts to optimize CCA and DRR measures with an inclusive and gender-sensitive approach, in light of the impacts (current and future) of climate change.

Specific Objectives

• To convene government representatives from agencies in charge of disaster risk reduction and management (DRM/DRR), CCA, and planning and finance, together with UN agencies, to share good practices, challenges, and opportunities in integrated planning.
• Facilitate complementarity between regional and national planning frameworks for DRR and CCA.
• Promote the application of climate information in planning processes with an inclusive and gender-sensitive approach.
• Share information and updates on existing coordination mechanisms, ongoing projects and programs, disaggregated risk data, and monitoring of national climate and disaster funding.