Full project title: 

Climate Resilient Cities in Latin America Initiative- Project -061: “Effects of booms-and-bust and climate disturbances on livelihoods and resilience of Small Amazon Delta Cities.”

This project was part of the CDKN, International Development Research Centre of Canada (IDRC) and Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano (FFLA)  Climate Resilient Cities in Latin America programme, which focuses on climate resilience in urban contexts, and specifically on small and medium cities in Latin America that are experiencing rapid growth.

Overview:

After a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation process undertaken by the Technical Advisory Panel of the Initiative and the approval of the Steering Committee, six projects have been selected. This research project is one of them. Small cities in the Amazon delta are shaped by cycles of economic booms-and-busts, and environmental disturbances of anthropogenic and natural origins. In the recent past, these small cities have benefited from federal and state welfare programs - and they have also played an important role in providing relief to those displaced by natural disaster. This project investigates the questions: What are the socio-ecological attributes that have helped these small Amazon delta cities to overcome 'stressed' and booming years? Are the cities resilient to climate shocks and related impacts, such as floods? If not, what adaptation measures are necessary to reduce vulnerability? The project aims to collect and analyse socio-economic and climatic information in six small Amazon delta cities.

Main objective:

Peri-urban and rural populations have increasingly relied on services offered by of small cities of the Amazon delta, rather than on large cities in the region for economic relief when faced with adverse or hazardous hydro-climatic conditions. In addition, approximately 500,000 residents of shanty towns in Belém and Macapá are believed to find temporary employment (particularly in commerce) in these small cities. The evidence of small cities' roles in reducing risks and the diversity of knowledge and strategies of their residents are important resources for state and federal sustainable development initiatives and adaptation and mitigation programmes. This research project will take place in the cities of Santana and Mazagao in North Channel and Abaetetuba, Ponta de Pedras in South Channel, which are small to medium sized cities that have experienced rapid development in the last few decades. These cities encounter different urban problems and are at risk from different impacts of climate change requiring various disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and resilience-building strategies. Visit the initiate website here.

Suppliers: Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano (FFLA)

Partners: International Development Research Centre of Canada (IDRC)

CDKN funding: £ 100,379.32

Picture: Jonas Banhos