Columbia investing in mitigation and adaptation research

Columbia has recently established a fund to develop mitigation and adaptation programs, and it has a set of relevant research and policy recommendations from international cooperation agencies at its disposal. Floods have already cost Columbia in lives, property, and money, and more pro-active measures could reduce further destruction.

FORO writes,

The Colombian government has established a US$3 billion fund to develop mitigation and adaptation programs, integrating and consolidating various related government programs. International cooperation agencies have been conducting research on climate change adaptation and mitigation in Colombia, as well as providing policy recommendations to the Colombian government. This experience should inform the Colombian Government about the most effective ways to invest this trust fund and avoid the prevalence of reactive policies. Moreover, international cooperation funds could also add to Colombia’s fund, so that more efforts are directed towards the same goals.

Implications

Until now, Columbia has invested mainly in reactive policies, but this fund could lead to more comprehensive measures to reduce the damage potentially amplified by Climate Change, such as flooding from extreme La Ninas.

FORO writes,

“Climate change could be accelerating the frequency and intensity of a recurrent natural phenomenon in Colombia, known as “La Niña.” Between December 2010 and the first months of 2011, flooding affected 2.8 million Colombians. Despite the recurrence of this event, Colombia has not developed or implemented a comprehensive and sustained strategy or policies to mitigate the effects of or prevent this kind of damage. Instead, it has only developed reactive policies and twice had to declare a state of emergency in the affected regions.”