Piura is a rapidly expanding metropolitan area in northern Peru. Agricultural commerce is a key driver of growth in the city. To meet the demand from its growing population and economy, the municipal government has invested in water supply systems; sanitation and wastewater treatment facilities and equipment; roads and sidewalks; and buildings for recreation, education, and public health.
The services provided by these infrastructure investments will be affected by climate variability and change. Piura is highly vulnerable to flooding from extreme rainfall and overflows along the Piura River during both the rainy season and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events.
As the city’s population grows, informal settlements and neighborhoods are expanding into high-risk flood areas, which increases their vulnerability to climate stressors.
Activities and Outcomes To address these challenges, the Municipality of Piura has worked with CRIS to increase the capacity of city staff and partners, integrate climate change considerations into municipal decision making, and apply lessons learned from peer learning opportunities with other cities. Specifically, this partnership has yielded the following accomplishments: - The city worked with the CRIS program to improve its access to relevant climate information and municipal staff members have increased their understanding of climate resilience strategies.
- Municipal staff members has learned and applied both an approach for screening planned infrastructure projects for climate vulnerability and an approach to identify, evaluate, and prioritize adaptation options.
- The city developed draft language for including climate change considerations in its Urban Development Plan.
- Municipal staff members have improved their ability to consider climate risks in project funding applications under the National System of Public Investments.
- The city has established an internal working group to promote climate-resilient infrastructure.
- Municipal staff members have developed an action plan that describes a set of next steps the city can take to build on the activities it has undertaken with the CRIS program.
Through these activities, the Municipality has implemented and refined tools and processes that can be used on an ongoing basis to assess vulnerability and identify adaptation options for additional projects. It has strengthened its relationship with local and regional partners, fostering long-term collaboration to support the development of climate-resilient infrastructure services. Piura has developed a strong foundation and is poised to take continued steps on its path to becoming a more climate-resilient city.
Resources CRIS worked with city officials, community members, and other partners to develop the following resources: - Climate Information Application Tool
- Climate Vulnerability Assessment Screening Tool
- Adaptation Planning Tool
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