• Specialists recommend increasing baseline information and reinforcing strategies for adaptation to climate change

• Event on “Analysis of the relationship between climate change and poverty reduction policies” gathered Government authorities and experts on climate change

Minister of the Environment (MINAM), Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, among other experts from public and private institutions, agreed on the need for more solid information about climate change to bolster adaptation strategies and policies to fight poverty in Peru.

This suggestion emerged from the seminar on “Analysis of the relationship between climate change and poverty reduction policies”, this past March. The event was organized by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and the Group of Analysis for Development (GRADE), with the collaboration of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).

Pulgar-Vidal also explained that MINAM has been pursuing initiatives to improve alliances with other sectors and mobilize the agenda for the fight against poverty. He added that it is also fundamental to manage local territory as a Poverty Reduction Strategy from a climate vantage point.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND POVERTY REDUCTION

The seminar started with Simon Anderson, Head of IIED’s Climate Change Group, presenting his policy brief on “Climate Change and Poverty Reduction”, which was developed within the framework of CDKN’s work on Climate Compatible Development.

The document, containing key information on experiences in Africa and Asia, posits a direct relationship between chances of overcoming poverty, and climate variability and change, indicating that more solid evidence is required to learn how climate impedes poverty eradication.

“We still do not have sufficient information and perhaps this is why ministries responsible for making these policies have not gotten into climate change issues yet”, said Anderson.

“Peru is moving in an interesting direction; the problem is that available funding for project implementation is quite slim”, he added.

The IIED researcher also said that, in view of diverse, complex local needs, a national plan is not enough to meet local adaptation requirements, so it is important to organize and strengthen bonds between local and national levels for effective adaptation.

EXTRACTION-BASED MODEL WILL GENERATE STRESS

In his presentation, Chief Researcher with GRADE, Gerardo Damonte, said that there is currently a nationwide scramble in Peru to grab resources with a development model based on extraction.

“Beyond discussing whether this is good, bad, sustainable or unsustainable, the resources to be divided up are dwindling. Climate change and this dynamic growth will ultimately stress these places out”, said Damonte.

CLIMATE CHANGE AS AN OPPORTUNITY

Next, the President of the Peruvian Society of Environmental Law (SPDA), Jorge Caillaux, said that climate change can also be viewed as an opportunity to revisit and reinforce the fight against poverty and pursuit of development goals.

Finally, Vice Minister for Strategic Natural Resource Development of MINAM, Gabriel Quijandría, explained the Ministry’s alliances with other sectors to address climate change.

“Climate change is actual a core issue for the Ministry of the Environment and for international cooperation. We are in an interesting attempt to define how the Ministry, in alliance with other sectors, can begin moving the agenda substantially”, said the Vice Minister.

The event was also attended by Manuel Ruiz-Muller, Director of the SPDA Biodiversity and International Affairs Program; Javier Gonsález-Iwanciw, from Nur University (Santa Cruz, Bolivia); María Paz Cigarán, from Libélula; and Juan Torres, a climate change specialist from Practical Action.

Resources 

Simon Anderson's presentation on "Climate change and poverty reduction" (spanish version)

CDKN's Policy brief on "Climate Change and poverty reduction"

Watch the video from the event