Google Translate
Implementing Pilot Climate Change Adaptation Measures in Coastal Areas of Uruguay
-
Project details
-
Leading Organization:
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)Implementing Agency and Partnering Organizations:
UNDP, National Directorate of Environment, at the Ministry of Housing, Territorial Regulation and EnvirnomentSummary:
Background
Wetlands occupy 3% of Uruguay's total territory, which are significantly concentrated in coastal areas. In all of Uruguay's natural environments, wetland ecosystems are among the richest in terms of diversity and wild flora and fauna. The high productivity of these water-dominated ecosystems supports very large populations of wildlife, especially mammals, birds, and fish, as well as large extensions of unique botanical communities dominated by grasslands, macrophytes and palms. Bañados Del Este wetlands continue to be under serious threat because of historic unsustainable land-use practices that have deteriorated its ecological integrity, many of which continue today.
Wetland loss and degradation have occurred because of the large-scale development of rice fields, and the coastal areas have been deteriorated because of tourism encroachment and urban development (Canevari et al. 2001). The habitats present in Uruguay do not occur in isolation from each other but are marked by localized geographic features including rocks, hills and small ravines. This contributes to a highly-branched hydrological network and the importance of coastal wetlands is due to the high biological productivity taking place there.
The diversity of habitats and the complex array of transitional areas result in large diversity of species. Low-lying coastal areas and tidal flats are also particularly vulnerable to climate change as storm surges and tides can impact inland freshwater bodies and groundwater. Similarly, coastal waters linked to the Mar del Plata estuary are also increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of increased freshwater discharge and of land based sources of marine pollution.
The Project’s General Objective is to promote adaptation measures necessary to protect coastal wetlands and international waters of the Rio La Plata Estuary from the impacts of climate change, through the sustainable use of coastal resources, one of the main environmental assets of the country. The proposed adaptation measures will be aimed at increasing the resilience of coastal resources to climate change, by building upon climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessments already carried out as part of Uruguay’s national communications and national studies, and are included in the country’s Second National Communication to the Convention.
Project Components:
- Level 1) Information Gathering, Identification and Monitoring of critical exposed elements of coastal ecosystems and human settlements, including the provision of timely climate risk information, the identification of critical “hot-spots” or priority areas for the application of adaptation measures geared to monitor and reduce land-based sources of marine pollution, to increase the resilience of exposed assets and infrastructure-particularly in the tourism industry and to protect and restore critical coastal ecosystems- particularly wetlands from the impact of climate change.
- Level 2) Identify barriers to adaptation in coastal areas of Uruguay, design policy interventions for their effective and efficient removal, for the improved understanding of current and future climate risks and design pilot adaptation measures and capacity development packages for priority sectors and key stakeholders.
- Level 3) Incorporate Adaptation Policy into existing National Sustainable Development Policy, through targeted approaches to key sectors such as the tourism industry and other potentially vulnerable sectors to the impacts of climate change in Uruguay. Contribute to a National Adaptation Strategy for Coastal Areas in Uruguay, with an Action Plan designed to promote adaptation measures for critical exposed systems.
Expected Outputs:
Implementation of the pilot adaptation measures proposed as a result of the Block-A activity execution. Enhanced capacity for the identification of barriers to adaptation and the design of effective and efficient interventions to remove them. Enhanced capacity for the planning, stakeholder engagement, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of adaptation measures in Uruguay, to specifically address the sustainable development of coastal areas.
Timely information on changes in climate conditions, runoff and river discharges, coastal morphology and ecosystem health of wetlands in Uruguay, made available in useful form to decision-makers at the national and local level. Identified opportunities to mainstream adaptation to climate change into current and future decision-making processes, national policies, planning efforts, projects, particularly in the tourism sector.
Identified options available for transferring adapted technologies so as to meet the challenges of sustainable development of coastal areas in Uruguay by promoting the development of resilient society, economy, and ecosystems. Improved understanding by decision makers in the selected sectors (tourism, coastal resources, wetlands, water resources) on the importance of incorporating climate change considerations into decision-making and planning processes not only at the relatively short time scale (climate variability) but also at longer scales since climate change could cause the patterns of climate variability to differ from historical trends.
Contacts:
Project Contact Person
- Helen Coles de Negret
- Regional Technical Adviser UNDP-GEF Regional Coordination Unit
- Panama City, Panama
- Tel. and email: 507-3024508 helen.negret@undp.org
Project Status:
Under ImplementationPrimary Beneficiaries:
n/aResources:
File(s):
