Building resilience in the context of rapid urbanization (RURBANISE)

 

As an archipelago, the Philippines is highly exposed to the impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events like typhoons, sea-level rise and increased heat and rainfall. The intensification of climate change impacts coincides with rapid urbanization and high rates of poverty and inequality in the country. Urban and peri-urban populations living in informal settlements are particularly vulnerable to climate-related risks, given their low capacity to adapt.

To date, national policy efforts to promote climate change adaptation are not reaching vulnerable communities nor addressing the root causes of vulnerability. Adaptation strategies that are grounded in local knowledge and initiated by communities have demonstrated potential to strengthen resilience of low-income urban populations; however, they are not sufficiently supported to be effective at a larger scale.

This project will deepen understanding of the different ways in which residents of informal settlements are vulnerable to climate-related risks by actively engaging those communities in the process. The project will mobilize and enhance existing and potential capacities to strengthen effective responses for climate adaptation in nine informal settlements and to deliver inclusive, practical adaptation actions.

The project is part of the Climate Adaptation and Resilience initiative (CLARE) co-funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and IDRC. CLARE is a five-year, CAD120-million initiative that aims to enable inclusive and sustainable action to build resilience to climate change and natural hazards for people across Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.