Outlook on climate change adaptation in the Tropical Andes mountains

CASE STUDY

Adaptation to Climate Change through Effective Water Governance in Ecuador (PACC)

The PACC Project in Ecuador (implemented between July 2008 andMay 2015) was a pioneering initiative by improving water resource governance as a means for climate change adaptation. Many communities in the country suffer from the risk of water shortages, and/or are highly vulnerable to the effects of floods and landslides associated with heavy rainfall. The PACC was financed mainly by the Global Environmental Fund (GEF), the implementing agency was the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Environment of Ecuador was the executing agency, through the National Office of Climate Change Adaptation (DNACC) of the Under Secretariat for Climate Change (SCC). The PACC aimed to increase the ability to respond to the risks of climate change in water resources management at the national and local levels. It was designed as a project generator, implementing pilot projects to generate knowledge for different types of interventions applying the integrated water resources management (IWRM) approach. IWRM is a framework for sustainable watershed management, and is an essential element of adapting to climate change. Pilot projects included constructing water management infrastructure and plans in highland communities. The intervention had the following priorities: • Promote sustainable use of water for irrigation and drinking using a watershed approach and support GADs in project management with the participation of other local stakeholders;

Cajas National Park, Azuay, Ecuador

• Develop planning tools that integrate climatic and historical findings with hydrological models to inform management plans; • Support basin management organizations that can manage the use of water within the basin, while working on own GADs programs that increase energy and food security in accordance with the Buen Vivir principle. The PACC implemented 20 pilot projects in the highland provinces of Azuay, Canar and Loja, in the Ecuadorian

coastal provinces of Manabi and Los Rios, and in the Amazon province of Morona Santiago. The main project results were: • The risk of climate change in the water sector was integrated into key plans and programs. • Strategies and measures to facilitate adaptation to climate change impacts on water resources were implemented locally. • Institutions had capabilities strengthened, and research findings were disseminated.

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