This CDKN Innovation Fund project aimed to identify mechanisms for strengthening resilience, highlighting opportunities where the private sector, including the insurance sector, and civil society networks can help build the capacity of government agencies to respond to climate-related risks. The outcome of this project wa increased collaboration and knowledge sharing among a network of partners in Latin America around urban resilience issues, with at least three concrete initiatives developed as a result of the process.

The project took an action-research approach to provide a framework for engagement and dialogue with key stakeholders by analysing key institutional gaps, opportunities base and best practice from other regions. A set of central questions were developed to address key challenges, including:

•  How can interagency coordination in responding to disasters be improved?
• What are the core capabilities of civil society and private sector for effective DRR?
• How are these factors considered within a policy framework?
• What policy change could support better integration of governmental programmes?
• How to transform the approach of urban risk reduction into an urban investment opportunity?

The innovation process was delivered over the following three phases:

1) Analysis of the events of January 2011 (serious flooding and mudslides in Rio De Janeiro that claimed over 1,000 lives), and capturing of lessons learned and institutional gaps and opportunities.

2) Led by the Earth Security Initiative, the project researched effective urban response to severe weather events in Latin America and other parts of the world, engaged with content experts and the insurance sector, and worked with programs such as the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network and agencies including ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability to identify opportunities for shared learning. The findings of this phase will be summarized in a report.

3) An Action Lab where participants can develop initiatives that respond to the challenges of urban vulnerability, climate risk management and innovation.

The outputs of this project include:

• An Action Lab-type innovation process
• At least 3 collaborative research proposals for immediate follow up produced from the innovation process.
• Two publicly available policy briefs on:
  • Identification of lessons learned and institutional gaps and opportunities following the events in Rio de Janeiro in January 2011
  • Best practices in international urban disaster responses applicable in a Latin American context.
  • Building and fostering partnerships, and encouraging the establishment of a community of practice in relation to urban DRR in Latin America.

Lead: Thais Corral (REDEH)

Project Partners: Alejandro Litovsky (Earth Security Initiative); Pablo Luberman (Fundacion Cambio Democratico)

CDKN Funding: £97,000

Photo credit: Ángel M. Felicísimo