Launch in Bolivia of the project “Information, governance and action for the reduction of drought risk in Peru and Bolivia in a context of climate change".
April 30, 2019, La Paz Bolivia. The launch event for the binational project “Information, governance and action for the reduction of drought risk in Peru and Bolivia in a context of climate change” was attended by Iván Zambrana, Executive Director of the Plurinational Authority of Mother Earth in representation of the Ministry of Environment and Water; Head of the Cooperation Section of the European Union in Bolivia, Rocco Busco; Francisco Sancho, General Coordinator of AECID in Bolivia; Riccardo Riccardi, Country Program Director of HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation; and Gualberto Carrasco, General Director a.i. of the National Meteorology and Hydrology Service SENAMHI, as well as municipal mayors of the department of La Paz and families that will participate in this process.
Through the European Union’s EUROCLIMA+ Programme and under the framework of the Risk Management component implemented by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and the French Development Agency (AFD), the binational project between Peru and Bolivia is launched with the objective of reducing the risk of agricultural losses caused by drought, in a context of climate change in the highlands.
As by Riccardo Riccardi, Country Program Director of HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation explained, this project "is developed by a consortium headed by SENAMHI Bolivia, where SENAMHI Peru, HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation of Bolivia and Peru are actively participating, as is the Disaster Studies and Prevention Centre (PREDES) of Peru, institutions with experience, knowledge and above all commitment to work on the topic of Risk Reduction and Adaptation to Climate Change ".
Gualberto Carrasco, General Director a.i. of the National of Meteorology and Hydrology Service SENAMHI, the entity that leads and coordinates the actions, affirmed that "the project will contribute to reducing the risk of losses in the agricultural sector caused by droughts, strengthen the provision of climate services, improve governance mechanisms for the management of risk and implement pilot measures in prioritized territories”.
Next, Francisco Sancho, General Coordinator of AECID in Bolivia, expressed the commitment of the implementing agencies within the EUROCLIMA+ framework, mainly referring to “we are talking about climate change, not countries, we are addressing this issue because it affects us all, the climate does not understand borders, the climate must be approached from a scientific point of view with comprehensive solutions," he said.
For his part, Rocco Busco, Chief of the Cooperation Section of the European Union, highlighted the strategy and the challenges of the EUROCLIMA+ Programme and expressed figures to emphasize the growth of the commitment to this issue in Latin America. He explained that “between 2010 and 2016, the first phase of EUROCLIMA spent about 124 million bolivianos. Now, between 2018 and 2023, we are spending 108 million bolivianos each year. This is a significant multiplication of funds and commitment because climate change is increasingly being recognized as an issue for everyone.”
Finally, Iván Zambrana, Executive Director of the Plurinational Authority of Mother Earth under the Ministry of Environment and Water and focal point of Euroclima+, stressed that “this project that has been developed from the Risk Management component and it has been very proactive in order to genuinely maximise the scope towards serving local communities "
About the projects of the Disaster risk management and reduction component: droughts and floods
Through the Risk Management component of the EUROCLIMA+ programme, a total of seven projects will be implemented. For more information about each project visit this link: https://www.euroclima.org/index.php/es/riesgo
About EUROCLIMA+
EUROCLIMA+ is a programme funded by the European Union to promote environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient development in 18 Latin American countries, particularly for the benefit of the most vulnerable populations. The Programme is implemented under the synergistic work of seven agencies: Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), French Development Agency (AFD), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Expertise France (EF), International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP), German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and UN Environment.
Contacts
For more information about EUROCLIMA+, contact Alexandra Cortés: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For information about the EUROCLIMA+ Risk Management component, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For information about the project “Information, governance and action for drought risk reduction in Peru and Bolivia in a climate change context”, contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
