DPU alumni awarded grants from the Climate Resilience Cities in Latin America Initiative

DPU alumni Hector Becerril (PhD) and Ana Maria de la Parra (MSc) have been awarded one of the six grants of the Climate Resilience Cities in Latin America Initiative to implement a project on climate risks, gender and governance of public polices in Mexico, and in which Barbara Lipietz (DPU -UCL) participates.

The Climate Resilience Cities in Latin America Initiative was launched by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Fundacion Futuro Latinoamericano (FFLA-Ecuador), and aims “to identify and promote innovative solutions for climate compatible development in small and medium sized cities” in the region.

The project Governing climate risk in coastal areas in Latin America: building gender-responsive urban governance for climate resilience in Coyuca’s coastal lagoon system, Guerrero – Mexico focuses on promoting the development of gender-responsive modes of urban governance for climate compatible development, through the coproduction of knowledge and strategies whilst mobilising state and non-state actors. This will be achieved by (i) analysing climate risks Coyuca’s coastal lagoon system through inclusive participatory methods, (ii) examining the modes of governance of public policies related to climate risks and adaptation strategies to identify the limitation and opportunities for building climate resilience, and (iii) designing and mainstreaming gender-sensitive strategies for climate compatible development.

Tecnosistemas y Peaje, S.A. de C.V. will be the leading organization of the consortium composed by the Development Management Unit - Autonomous University of Guerrero (UAGD - UAGRO), Institute of Technology of Acapulco (ITA), Prabha Khosla Consulting, Civil Protection Directorate of the Municipality of Coyuca de Benitez, Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) and The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, University College London (DPU – UCL). The project will be active for the next 19 months and has caught attention due to its focus on local capacity building and the fact that it brings together academia and the private sector for a research and high social impact project.