INTRODUCTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES IN CITIES ACROSS LATIN AMERICA Interview Transcript

EMILIO LBRE LA ROVERE Professor of Energy and Environmental Planning: Post Graduate School of Engineering (COPPE), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

THAIS CORRAL Coordinator of the Human Development Network (REDEH), which is an NGO based in Rio de Janeiro Brazil Organiser of the Resilient Cities Laborary in the run up to Rio+20

PAULA ELLINGER DA FONSECA Project Coordinator: Climate Change Group AVINA Foundation, Leadership in Sustainable Development in Latin America

Learning Alliance on Climate Resilient Cities Getting Started

IN LATIN AMERICA WHY IMPORTANCE TO CITIES?

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CLIMATE

CHANGE

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Thais Corral: Climate change is important in Latin America because most of Latin America cities are cities that have not been planned. Paula Ellinger: About 70% of the Latin America population lives in cities and the number is growing. Emilio La Rovere: In an unprecedented short period of time, millions of rural dwellers have come to cities, so we have already seen a lot of challenges in the infrastructure to cope with this increase. So when climate change comes it aggravates this problem, meaning that a lot of vulnerable low income populations and communities are exposed to very high risks. WHAT ARE THE MAIN EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN LATIN AMERICAN CITIES? Emilio La Rovere: Flooding, landsliding due to tropical storms across the region and also, of course, sea level rise due to the fact that most Latin America capitals are by the sea. WHAT EFFORTS ARE CITY GOVERNMENTS IN LATIN AMERICA MAKING TO IMPROVE CLIMATE RESILIENCE? Paula Ellinger: We can see many governments in Latin America compromising to climate change, for example we have the Pacto de Mexico, which is a pact that was created in a summit in Mexico that showed governments compromise to climate change and annually they release a report where they show everything that they are doing in terms of mitigation and adaptation. Emilio La Rovere: In terms of mitigation a number of cities are keen to take leadership and make the case that cities in regions can avoid emissions faster than the central governments are able to deliver through the climate convention. A number of coalitions and networks of regions and cities are being created and try to exchange experience around concrete policies and measures and this focus on two main sectors, I would say: in transportation and in solid waste disposal. So a number of Latin America cities have been installing the bus rapid transit system inspired by Bogota's Trans-millennium Project. Paula Ellinger: So we can see that the governments are starting to realise the threats and opportunities of climate change to prepare to the future that is more resilient. WHAT ROLE DOES SOCIETY PLAY IN IMPROVING CLIMATE RESILIENCE? Thais Corral: This is not a task that the governments alone will be able, the local governments, will be able to address. I think that previous methods like Agenda 21 and even the way in which many cities in other countries have addressed the question of resilience in which you really mobilise resources across the whole society. It is not only governments but there are the private sector and also the communities that are also a part of designing how you create this resilience.

Learning Alliance on Climate Resilient Cities Getting Started

 HOW DO YOU THINK THAT SHARING EXPERIENCES ACROSS CITIES MIGHT HELP US TO IMPROVE CLIMATE RESILIENCE? Paula Ellinger: More important to exchange practices so that cities and municipalities that face similar challenges and opportunities can learn from each other, and enhance their practices. Thais Corral: I think sharing is very important. We actually had, last year in June, just previous to Rio +20, a group of cities from Latin America exactly sharing best practices, sharing lessons learned and I think this is very important because the problems at the end, they are somehow similar. It's very important because you don't have all the answers and we don't have these resources so it's more like a how we give some sequence to what you do and how the lessons have shown the best way to address and also obstacles that are there. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS ISSUES IN CITIES NOW? Emilio La Rovere: You can see it in the mentality on the media and on the public opinion, an awareness. We can see a growing awareness about imminence of climate change, so this is already something very important to start with. And of course there is the long term motivation that these effects will become more and more important unless you prepare to adapt to them and you mitigate the emissions. Paula Ellinger: We have a big role to play because it's in the cities where the consumption patterns are developed, where most of the transport emissions are happening. Thais Corral: It's not a matter of choice, it's a matter of must because climate change is a reality that we must address and adapt the people to the new world in which we are living which is a world of adapting to climate change.

Learning Alliance on Climate Resilient Cities Getting Started