Outlook on climate change adaptation in the Tropical Andes mountains

The Government has also implemented projects for watershed management in páramos, and created water reservoirs and rainwater harvesting systems (Gutierrez and Espinoza, 2010). Ecuador manages its water resources through the OrganicLawofHydricResources,UsesandUtilization of Water (2014). The document acknowledges the relevance of páramos as an ecosystem serving to store water and the dependence of the Andean population on their services. The importance of this ecosystem underscores the significance of implementing policies for its sustainable management and conservation. 31 The Ecuadorian National Climate Change Strategy (ENCC) addresses adaptation in the water sector by planning the following activities: development of the Plan of Water Resources; identification and use of aquifers to head off potential droughts; capacity- building onwater scarcity; implementing two projects for water management; building water reservoirs for different uses in case of extreme weather events; and establishing a coordination platform for management and conservation of water resources. The national water authority is the Ecuadorian National Water Secretariat (SENAGUA), which participates in information exchanges about climate change with ministries involved in the water sector. 32 It has also been involved in the preparation of the National Plan for the Integrated and Integral Management of Water Resources, 33 which will include climate change adaptation indicators or measures. This type of involvement by SENAGUA creates institutional links that may yield robust management, adaptive responses and, more broadly, resilient governance of water resources. Peru ’s policy on water resources in the National Agreement (Acuerdo Nacional 34 ) provides the

framework for water policy instruments. 35 In this policy, the government commits to stewardship of water as part of the nation’s heritage, and to access to potablewater as a human right.The policy emphasizes the importance of integrated management of water resources as an approach for sustainable, equitable and rational water use. This approach considers basins as the management unit, and climate change as a perturbation. The relevant law governing water resources is the National Policy and Strategy of Hydric Resources. 36 A strategic component of this policy is Climate change adaptation and extreme events, which aims to reduce vulnerability by enforcing integrated management of water resources. Moreover, this component combines knowledge generation, policy articulation, and adaptation measures. It promotes research, capacity-building, climate change adaptation and risk management within the water sector. Adaptation policies should be articulated with other instruments (e.g. laws, decrees, planning processes) for risk management in the water sector. In order to institutionalize this articulation, it has to be included in the framework formed by the National System for Environmental Management and the National

System of Risk Management. Adaptation measures and mechanisms need to address the supply, demand and use of water resources in a way that considers both current and future impacts of climate change and disaster risk management (Ministerio de Agricultura y Riego, 2015). The National Policy and Strategy is also in accordance with the Peruvian National Environmental Policy and the recently published National Strategy for Climate Change 2015 (Ministerio Del Ambiente, 2015). Although the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, through the National Water Authority, is the main competent authority for water-related issues, there are other government bodies that also have authority over areas that affect water resources. The Ministry of Environment, water providers and the National Superintendence of Water and Sanitation Services, for example, are responsible for protecting water sources. There are other initiatives, including the Public Investment Projects, that involve multiple sectors such as: environment, housing, agriculture, economy and finance. Due to the different and partially overlapping objectives and priorities of these various governmental agencies and authorities in water-related issues, it is difficult to make concrete action and to attribute concrete responsibilities.

Water policy matrix Sector

Colombia 1 1 1 0 0 0

Ecuador 1 1 1 0 0 1

Peru 1 1 1 0 0 1

Bolivia 1 1 1 0 0 0

Adaptation goals Adaptation targets

Implementation tools Mountain adaptation Regional considerations Adaptation actions 0: Absence; 1: Presence.

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