Colombia: Integration of ecosystems and adaptation to climate change in the Colombian Massif

Environmental degradation and climate change have the strongest impact on the poorest sectors of Colombian society. This Joint Programme's aim was to strengthen the coordination and integration of environmental issues within the national development agenda, with a focus on reducing the vulnerability of those groups most affected by climate change.

At the national level, the programme impacted on the political frameworks prioritized by the Country and the UNDAF: the national poverty eradication strategy, the national strategy for integrated water resources management and the Comprehensive National Climate Change Action Plan.

At the regional level, the Programme worked on the strategic ecological region of the Colombian Massif to ensure the conservation and provision of environmental goods and services, alleviation of the effects of environmental deterioration and adaptation to climate change. This programme was drawn up with the Ministry of the Environment, Housing and Territorial Development (MAVDT), the Institute of Environmental Studies (IDEAM) and UN agencies with knowledge of the region.

Some of the achievements of the programme were:

• Support was provided for the formulation of the national strategy for integrated water management, and the second National Communication on Climate Change (Conpes 3700 on climate change) was prepared and published.
• Nine hundred families received direct support to establish plots for food security and silvopasture as measures to adapt to climate change. In this process, organizations and families were actively involved in training processes, and leaders and promoters achieved extensive ownership of the outcomes achieved.
• 1,650 families benefitted from access to water supply systems and water purification for human consumption.
• An early warning system for landslide, fire, and flash flood risks was created.
   

Click for more detailed results from the Joint Programmes in Colombia (in Spanish).