Climate Strategies That Support Living Standards

Nature based solutions are one of the most effective ways to strengthen climate resilience. They work by restoring or enhancing natural systems that regulate water, stabilize soils, reduce heat, and buffer extreme events. Unlike purely engineered defenses, they deliver protection while generating environmental and economic co benefits. In coastal regions, mangrove forests act as living infrastructure. They reduce wave energy, limit storm surge impacts, and protect ports, logistics hubs, and coastal developments exposed to rising sea levels. On slopes and in peri urban areas, terraces reduce runoff velocity and prevent soil erosion. This lowers landslide risk and protects roads, housing, and critical infrastructure. Restored sandy shores and dunes absorb storm impacts and reduce coastal erosion. They provide adaptive protection that can evolve over time as climate risks intensify. Urban and upland forests reinforce soil stability and increase water infiltration. Their root systems anchor land while supporting watershed resilience. Inland wetlands improve water quality through natural filtration. They reduce nutrient loads and pollutants, lowering treatment costs and strengthening regulatory compliance. Rain gardens integrate stormwater management into urban design. They reduce pressure on drainage systems and help cities manage more intense rainfall events. Preserved or restored river floodplains expand natural water storage capacity. This reduces peak flood levels and improves regional water security. Constructed wetlands complement grey infrastructure by treating wastewater and managing runoff. They offer cost efficient solutions aligned with circular water strategies. Green corridors and fire breaks reduce wildfire spread and protect communities and business assets in fire prone regions. They are increasingly relevant as heat and drought conditions intensify. Green roofs and expanded urban canopy reduce urban heat island effects. They lower energy demand, protect workforce health, and enhance long term asset performance. For companies assessing physical climate risk, nature based solutions are strategic investments that reduce exposure, strengthen resilience, and protect long term enterprise value.

Housing is climate strategy. But you wouldn’t know it from most zoning codes. We talk about climate change like it’s all about EVs and solar panels. But one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce emissions is right under our feet, literally. Where and how we build housing shapes: – How much we drive – How far we sprawl – How resilient our communities are Affordable housing isn’t just a social good. It’s a climate intervention, if it’s connected to transit, jobs, and services. In Part 5 of my series on development for equity, I break down: -Why sprawl is a climate liability -How ADUs, infill, and missing middle housing reduce emissions -What it takes to align affordability with sustainability Because every housing decision is a climate decision. And if we want a livable future, we have to stop pretending they’re separate. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/e9guq_Dr Let’s build smarter: What’s one housing policy shift you’d make to support climate resilience?

The World Bank: Success Stories and Strategies for Achieving Climate Adaptation and Resilience | Nov 2024 Some Key Insights: A. Whole-of-Society Approach to Adaptation:    Recommendation: Implement cross-sector, inclusive strategies to integrate resilience into economic and development policies. This approach necessitates aligning policies across various departments and sectors to achieve cohesive implementation.  Risk: Fragmented methodologies elevate vulnerabilities, particularly in critical sectors -- energy, infrastructure, and public health.  .. B. Resilient Infrastructure Investment: Recommendation: Prioritize investments in resilient infrastructure, such as Nature-based solutions, specifically within the domains of transportation, water management, and energy, to mitigate potential climate disruptions. Opportunity: Establishing climate-resilient infrastructure can stimulate economic growth by minimizing disaster-related financial losses and enhancing investor confidence.  Case Study: Brazil's Water Cisterns program exemplifies the socioeconomic advantages of resilient infrastructure investments by reducing health risks while enhancing water accessibility.  .. C. Financial Preparedness and Disaster Risk Financing (DRFI): Recommendation: Formulate a comprehensive financial strategy that incorporates insurance frameworks and fiscal resilience, exemplified by Colombia’s climate risk stress testing within its financial sector.  Risk: In the absence of effective financial planning, the costs associated with climate-related events may impose significant strains on public budgets, thereby impeding sustainable development efforts.  Opportunity: Increasing insurance uptake and enhancing financial preparedness can stabilize businesses and mitigate losses stemming from extreme events.  Case Study: The Philippines' DRFI strategy has facilitated improved fiscal health and disaster resilience, characterized by a notable increase in insurance participation among vulnerable populations.  .. D. Leveraging Private Sector Investment: Recommendation: Promote private sector investment in adaptation initiatives by addressing barriers, including knowledge deficits, unclear metrics, and restrictive financing mechanisms.  Opportunity: Public-private partnerships and robust regulatory frameworks dedicated to climate-resilient investments can provide novel revenue streams and confer competitive edges. Case Study: Albania’s solar energy project illustrates how private investments in renewable energy can bolster national resilience, generate employment opportunities, and support climate goals. .. E. Scaling Up Early Warning Systems: Recommendation: Enhance early warning and anticipatory systems for climate-related events, particularly protecting vulnerable populations.  Case Study: India’s Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan has saved thousands of lives by implementing proactive measures in response to extreme heat events. .. More 👇

Shared my thoughts on promotion of livelihoods for the extremely vulnerable households in the CEO conclave 2.0 organized by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India and The Nudge. 1. Start with existing livelihoods. Familiarity is the key. Extremely Vulnerable Households may not be able to manage the new or alien livelihoods. Ladder of livelihoods for them will be Livelihoods which are familiar to them, move to livelihoods they like and ultimately to the livelihoods they admire. 2. Layering of livelihoods: Since extremely vulnerable households are exposed to several risks viz market, technology, climate etc it is important to diversify the livelihood portfolio of the household. A mix of farm, livestock, non farm enterprises etc will reduce the risk and help them in creating cash flows. 3. Continuous handholding support through community resource persons such as Coaches or change makers or Pashu or Krishi sakhis is critical for extending last mile extension services. Lack of professional support is the main reason for the failure of livelihoods. 4. Ecosystem development: Livelihoods will thrive when backward and forward linkages are established. Households should connect with input suppliers and output markets. Necessary infrastructure at Community and household level should be created. 5. Community based organizations such as Cluster Level Federations as anchors. CBOs are good at Monitoring of productive assets, managing extension systems. 6. Natural Resource Management and Climate Resilience. Natural Resources play an important role in supporting livelihoods of the rural people. We should invest in improving or strengthening Natural Resources. Adaptation to climate change will reduce the risk of failure during extreme weather events. 7. Collaborations and Convergence with government departments helps in bringing additional finances and technical know how.

A comprehensive strategy to help developing economies become more resilient to #climate shocks rests on five pillars: 1. Raising household incomes. 2. Improving access to information so people can turn uncertainty into manageable risk. 3. Creating the conditions for robust insurance markets. 4. Making public infrastructure more resilient to extreme events. 5. Providing well-targeted support to those who experience losses. For a successful strategy, the real priority is understanding how to build resilience quickly and effectively. Read this The World Bank Report by Forhad Shilpi, Matthew E. Kahn, and Claudia N. Berg. It shows that the path forward is clearer than it may seem: https://lnkd.in/eJqsgWrC

Some insights on how to address Climate and Fragility Risks 1 Build social cohesion within and among communities. This can be done by providing access to mechanisms for justice and dialogue. 2 Support resilient livelihoods that go beyond the simple provision of jobs. 3 Broaden people’s access to basic services such as education, health, water, sanitation and energy. 4 Address gender inequality and violations of human rights. 5 Support communities to adapt to climate change and improve natural resource management. peacebuilding. 6. Improve information and communication technologies that support better early warning and preparedness against climate shocks, enable economic empowerment and help people determine their own futures. 7 Provide better climate and hydrological information. 8. Invest in governance and institutional development to strengthen policy, regulatory and oversight capacities, to tackle corruption, to provide quality social service delivery planning and to invest in the expansion of governance at local levels 9 Critically review and adapt the tactics to be compatible with the goal of sustainable livelihoods for, and better relations between communities 10. Support climate-proof economic growth and development. The Following are Some of the Guiding Principles to Consider: 1. Ensure meaningful participation of civil society, in particular of all women, young people, people with disabilities and those from other marginalised groups, in the planning and implementation of responses. 2 Address governance deficits and avoid duplication through new structures. 3 Ensure that financing is more predictable, flexible, adaptable, and prepared to fail. 4. Make sure that all programmes and strategies take account of both climate and conflict risks in a context-specific way. 5 Monitor and evaluate all interventions for intended and unintended impacts on conflict and fragility risks and be ready to adjust implementation to address changing conditions on the ground. 6 Share ideas and lessons learned across the different sectors and countries within the region, and facilitate relevant south-south cooperation from outside the region to identify pilots, new approaches, or tried and tested approaches to scale up. ECAS Institute adelphi #Africa

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝘂𝘅𝘂𝗿𝘆—𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟭.𝟮 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘇𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀. The latest report from the The World Bank "Rising to the Challenge" makes one thing clear: development, adaptation, and resilience are inseparable. As climate disasters intensify, communities, businesses, and economies need faster, better, and more resilient development to withstand future shocks. 𝗔 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁. A 10% increase in GDP per capita is linked to: - 5% decrease in people falling into poverty due to climate change by 2030 - 2.4% reduction in well-being losses from natural disasters - 1.5% decline in the global population at high risk from climate hazards - equivalent to 100 million people globally. Development must be climate-informed, with smart policies that address inequality, infrastructure resilience, financial inclusion and social systems to absorb, resist and bounce back from climate risk. Lessons from success stories include: 💡 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗵: Investing in hydrometeorological (hydromet) services cut farmers’ crop losses from 4.1% to 0.8%. 💡 𝗩𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝘁𝘂: Integrated climate adaptation into national policies, ensuring infrastructure and land-use planning factor in future risks. 💡 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮: The Ahmedabad Heat-Health Action Plan reduced heat-related deaths on extreme temperature days by 88%. Climate resilience is an economic imperative. In low and middle-income countries, more resilient power, water, sanitation and transport assets would cost 3% more, on average. But over their lifetimes, the net benefits could reach $4.2 trillion or $4 for every $1 invested. 𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 While the private sector is stepping up investment in adaptation, barriers still remain. Climate adaptation must move from being seen as a cost to being an investment with an appropriate ROI. Investment in social resilience is just as important as investment in infrastructure, and locally-led adaptation (LLA) is one of the most effective strategies for building adaptation but remains underfunded. #ClimateAction #ResilientDevelopment #Sustainability #Adaptation #Resilience #WorldBank Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/g95s2-Nd _____________ For updates on sustainability, climate, and innovation, follow me on LinkedIn: Scott Kelly