Integrating climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and urban planning: A review of Nicaraguan policies and regulations

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThe integration of risk reduction and climate change adaptation has become an urgent task in addressing increasing urban risk more effectively and efficiently. This paper analyses the extent to which climate change adaptation is integrated into the policies and regulatory frameworks that guide urban risk reduction in Nicaragua, and discusses related progress. The results reveal significant progress in integrating climate change adaptation into the policy and regulatory frameworks of the three relatively new fields of (a) disaster risk reduction, (b) environmental management and (c) urban planning. They show that differences in the degree of integration relate to the development and updates to policy instruments in each field, and the extent to which they are related to the implementation of international climate change agreements. Although initially climate change adaptation integration was focused on the protection of natural resources in general, and food production in particular, since 2008 authorities have shown increasing interest in a more comprehensive and integrated approach. Nevertheless, the integration of climate change adaptation into disaster risk reduction and urban planning still lags behind the advances made in the environmental management field. It is concluded that in order to achieve greater and more coherent integration of CCA and, ultimately, improve the way climaterelated risks is dealt with, urban authorities need to systematically review current policies and regulations to assess the synergies and gaps. This requires inter-sectoral and participative work with the actors concerned at national and local level, as well as the establishment of related monitoring and learning mechanisms.

Projected impacts of climate change on water availability indicators in a semi-arid region of central Mexico

“…Currently, no consideration is being given either to the high costs that are already exceeding the benefits, or the unwanted ecological, social and political effects. Under a more extreme climate, policymakers must consider integrated water management of land and water with a holistic focus on the range of demands for all water users, so that they can identify feasible strategies that improve the management of scarce water resources in a sustainable way (Curmi et al, 2013;Rivera and Wamsler, 2014).…”

Vključevanje rezultatov ocene tveganja zaradi izrednih vremenskih dogodkov v prostorsko načrtovanje elektroenergetske infrastrukture

“…Predstavitvi rezultatov sledi razprava o uporabnosti predlaganega pristopa ter njegovih prednostih in šibkih straneh, v sklepu pa so navedene smernice za nadaljnje raziskave. Pütz idr., 2011, in Linkaits, 2013, kot tudi na nacionalni (na primer Rivera in Wamsler, 2014;Flannery idr., 2015, ter Kumar in Geneletti, 2015, regionalni (na primer Rannow idr., 2010, ter De Bruin idr., 2013 in lokalni (na primer Wilson, 2006;Andersson-Sköld idr., 2015, ter Dubois idr., 2015. V Sloveniji so orodja prostorskega načrtovanja kot ukrepe prilagajanja na podnebne spremembe analizirali Mojca Golobič idr.…”

A Conceptual Governance Framework for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Integration

“…For example, incorporating CCA and DRR within urban policies allows identification and assessment of urban climaterelated vulnerabilities, as well as develops plans and establishes climate change-related priorities (Huq et al 2007;Dodman and Satterthwaite 2008;Rivera and Wamsler 2014). The Headline Climate Change Adaptation Strategy of Durban has addressed specific climate changerelated vulnerabilities for several urban sectors by promoting the involvement of local communities in risk and vulnerability mapping (Dodman and Satterthwaite 2008;van Niekerk 2015).…”

“…Attention is significantly increasing about the need for a coherent integration of CCA and DRR (Begum et al 2014;Rivera and Wamsler 2014). This integration is part of a mainstreaming process involving modifications to specific core operations in order to incorporate and indirectly act upon new topics (Rivera and Wamsler 2014).…”

“…This integration is part of a mainstreaming process involving modifications to specific core operations in order to incorporate and indirectly act upon new topics (Rivera and Wamsler 2014). Accordingly, CCA is the aspect to be integrated into the core DRR operation.…”