“Linking global and local perspectives for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in mountain regions”, was a side event of the World Climate Conference, organized by Intercooperation and the University of Zürich

Taking the opportunity of the third World Climate Conference (WCC-3) in Geneva (31 August - 4 September 2009), Intercooperation and the University of Zurich organized on behalf of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) a side event on “Linking global and local perspectives for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in mountain regions”.

Local communities in hazard prone areas have always had to cope with weather-related hazards – floods, droughts, too much or too little rainfall and the like. This local knowledge has become an integral component of human and social capital of these communities. Today, this capital is often underestimated or even ignored when dealing with climate change and disaster risk reduction issues. On the other hand, one needs to consider that climate change may alter atmospheric processes and thus lead to situations without any historical reference.

The question on how these two fields can be better combined, especially in mountain regions, was the topic of the panel debate among scientists (University of Zurich, the National Service for Meteorology and Hydrology in Peru), a representative of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, and Intercooperation. 

Further, the panel gave the opportunity to share first experiences of the pioneering Programme on Adaptation to Climate Change in Peru (PACC) – a programme by the Peruvian Ministry of Environment and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, implemented by a consortium (Intercooperation, PREDES, Libélula) and scientific institutions in Peru and Switzerland.

It highlighted how science and local knowledge are complementary in order to strengthen the resilience of communities, developing local responses to face climate change and limiting the adverse impacts of natural hazards with hydrometeorological origin.

For more information: info@intercooperation.ch