Support for adaptation to Climate Change (ProAdapta)

Project description

Titel: Supporting Brazil in the implementation of its National Agenda for Climate Change Adaptation
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU)
Country: Brazil
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Environment (MMA)
Overall term: 2017 to 2022

Context

The economic, social and ecological effects of climate change in Brazil are considerable. Politicians have responded by developing an agenda for adapting to climate change, the most important instrument of which is the National Adaptation Plan (NAP). However, implementing the plan is proving difficult due to a lack of capacity and methodological innovation at national, federal state and local level. There is also insufficient coordination and sharing of lessons learned between the relevant stakeholders for adapting to climate change. In addition, there are few successful examples of adaptation and measures for adaptation being integrated into policy planning and decision-making processes. Most efforts to adapt must therefore come from non-governmental and private sector sources, but these organisations are often unaware of the need to adapt to climate change.

Objective

Brazil effectively implements the National Agenda for Climate Change Adaptation and is better prepared for the consequences of climate change.

Approach

The project is supporting the Brazilian Ministry of Environment (MMA) in its coordinating role using management tools such as the monitoring of adaptation measures. Moreover, it is enabling selected sectors, federal states and municipalities to implement public strategies, methods and instruments and develop measures for adapting to climate change. In addition, the project is running awareness-raising measures to encourage the private sector and civil society to adapt to climate change. 

The project approach involves improving the framework conditions for adapting to climate change. To this end, it supports the Ministry of Environment and other stakeholders at government level in taking account of climate risks in strategies, plans and programmes. Another aim is to raise awareness among decision-makers. Tools are being developed to facilitate climate risk management and mainstreaming climate change adaptation in planning and decision-making processes. 

The project can support implementation of the NAP only in pilot form. Lessons learned and project approaches will be spread and applied throughout Brazil and internationally (upscaling).

Results

• In cooperation with the Brazilian Ministry of Environment, the project has developed a strategy to build capacities and effectively implement the NAP.
• The project has supported the Brazilian Government’s presence at international events such as Adaptation Futures in Cape Town.
• The project has helped the Brazilian Government to prepare for and participate in the Talanoa Dialogue, which was initiated by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• The Brazilian Ministry of Infrastructure has mainstreamed the topic of climate change adaptation in its internal sustainability guidelines.
• The city administration of Salvador has established an urban scientific climate panel that was officially founded during the UNFCCC’s regional climate week for Latin America and the Caribbean (LACCW).
• The city administration of Santos has raised awareness among the representatives of various sectors as well as residents in the landslide-prone Monte Serrat area for an ecosystem-based adaptation (ebA) measure and involved them in its implementation.