Strengthening the capacity of city management authorities to plan and implement Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) is crucial to support decision-making and thereby promoting resilient urban development.
Currently many city government agencies in Asia-Pacific, including in Lao PDR, do not include EbA in the urban development planning, as the understanding of this approach is still limited, with few on-the ground implementations being found in the region.
To overcome this and in turn to help reduce the vulnerability of the communities, a 3-day training workshop was organised by UN-Habitat an executing partner of the ‘Urban EbA Asia-Pacific’ project from 26th to 28th of July 2021 in Oudomxay.
The training aimed at building the capacity of policymakers and technical officials in Oudomxay and Phongsaly Province on climate change adaptation with a focus on ecosystem functions and services, and planning for Ecosystems-based Adaptation to climate change. The training which was adapted to the local context focused on a range of different assessment tools for vulnerabilities, to methods on how to select appropriate interventions.
“This training is very useful”, said Ms. Keng Chanthavon, Provincial Officer of Natural Resources and Environment, Phongsaly Province. “The different training modules help me to enhance my knowledge on adaptation, and especially on Ecosystem Service Mapping and Social-Economic Sensitivity, and this training helps to understand how to identify the sensitivity of different areas in the city.”
A total of 26 participants, out of which one third was female, attend the training, including representatives from the Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment, Provincial Department of Public Works and Transport, Provincial Department of Planning and Investment, Provincial Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao Women’s Union, Lao Youth Union, and Central and Provincial Project Management Units.
