Adaptation Solutions: Climate Resilience in the Andes

Introduction

This publication takes us on a journey through a series of twelve adaptation experiences implemented throughout the Andes, in the seven countries that make up the longest and most diverse mountain range on the planet. Through this journey, explore a wide diversity of socio-environmental contexts for the implementation of solutions – from the humid páramos of the northern Andes to the dry punas of the altiplano – to address the current climate crisis, which is particularly acute in the tropical high mountains.

Learn about initiatives where multiple stakeholders participate, testing different strategies that incorporate aspects such as the restoration and management of diversity, integrated water management, promotion of climate-resilient agricultural and livestock practices, capacity building and institutional strengthening, and risk management, among many others.

Although the solutions presented here share, in most cases, features such as significant community participation, they also illustrate different realities in terms of the duration and depth of adaptation processes in the territory, their articulation with national programs and policies, or the effective use of monitoring and evaluation strategies to assess their environmental and social impacts.

At the core of this book is a set of 12 initiatives, based on a set of 40 solutions (most of them available on the Adaptation at Altitude Solutions Portal). These are presented through summary sheets that introduce their implementation context and the actors involved, what makes them particularly interesting, their benefits, open challenges, and potential for replication. This is followed by a comparative synthesis of the 40 solutions, offering a window into the path taken by adaptation to climate change in the Andes in recent years. This comparative analysis also outlines some of the strengths and weaknesses of the adaptation processes carried out, and presents a series of recommendations for program implementers and decision-makers.

This article is an abridged version of the original text, which can be downloaded from the right-hand column. Please access the original text for more detail, research purposes, full references, or to quote text. The book can also be accessed in Spanish, with key messages summarised in this infographic.

Methodology

The selection of climate change adaptation measures included in this catalogue was based on two sources and systematization processes:

• The ‘Adaptation Solutions Portal’ of the Adaptation at Altitude program funded by SDC. The Portal brings together measures implemented in the seven countries that make up the Andes region.
• The AICCA project, which has implemented adaptation initiatives in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia, disseminating them through various publications.

In total, 40 measures (see Annex) were analyzed, which provides a broad overview of the various strategies that have been implemented and continue to be developed in the region for climate change adaptation. The analyzed measures range from local to multinational scales, with short- to long-term trajectories, in both unique and multiple locations. They include solutions that impact various sectors,
addressing climate change effects such as heat stress, droughts, floods, vegetation fires, loss of productivity and crops, soil erosion, and reduced food security, and that create numerous environmental, social, economic, technical, and political benefits and co-benefits.

From these 40 solutions, a representative sample was selected through a multi-criteria analysis, followed by a representativeness and requirements analysis, to support the dissemination of a diverse set of measures implemented across the Andes. This analysis, in addition to helping characterize and compare the 40 solutions in terms of climate change adaptation and sustainable development, led to the identification of their common features, their scope and strengths, as well as some open challenges for the Andes.

By combining these two analyses, 12 adaptation measures were selected, which include: each country, local and sub-national scales, and various ecosystems (Páramos, Xerophytic Puna Wetlands, Wet Punas, Grasslands, Agricultural Lands, Cloud Forests, and Peatlands).

For more detail, please see p. 22 of the original publication.

Adaptation strategies

12 adaptation initiatives from across the Andes are presented:

• Participatory zoning of páramos and wetland protection, Venezuela
• Phenological Bird Monitoring Network and Birdwatching Tourism, Colombia
• Agroecological conversion of production systems and conservation of Andean tubers, Colombia
• Participatory care of páramos and improvement of farmers’ livelihoods, Colombia
• Covered crops with drip irrigation to address heavy rains and frost, Ecuador
• Climate-smart livestock farming, Ecuador
• Funding conservation of mountain ecosystems and poverty reduction through a community fund, Ecuador
• Sustainable watershed management in glacial mountain ecosystems, Peru
• Conservation/restoration of Queuña Forests (Polylepis Spp.) and creation of private conservation areas, Peru
• Multipurpose water management in the context of climate change, Bolivia
• Sustainable grazing and wetland management with restoration actions, Argentina
• Strengthening municipal environmental governance and promoting good productive practices, Chile

For each initiative learn about what makes it interesting, its core activities, benefits, challenges, and potential for expansion and replication. You can also explore the 40 adaptation solutions in this interactive map!

Explore insights and learnings across the 40 solutions on p. 72-76.

Recommendations

Selection of adaptation measures

When selecting or opting for an adaptation measure, decision-makers should consider:

• The technical, technological, economic, infrastructural, logistical, and political requirements of the alternatives, and evaluate them based on the capacities and resources available. During the implementation of the measure, capacities can be developed or expanded, and financial resources can be managed and obtained, but a minimum level must be available to ensure the initiation and continuity of actions in the short term.
• The level of community organization, social capital, and tradition of collaborative work. If these are weak or nonexistent, greater efforts to motivate and mobilize the community will be necessary.
• The expectations and interests of different groups in the target territory regarding adaptation.
• Expert opinions and recommendations, in conjunction with those derived from the community.

Designing of adaptation measures

When designing measures, decision-makers could also consider:

• Involving a wide diversity of actors, which is different from incorporating a large number of actors. Representatives from the private sector, academia, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders broaden the range of perspectives and will allow for understanding present and future objectives and interests that may favour or hinder solutions, establishing mutually beneficial agreements, and incorporating ongoing actions to leverage synergies.
• Understanding and considering the regulatory and administrative requirements for implementing the measures, and the agencies with which coordination will be necessary.
• Analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of including a large number of actions in the measures, versus focusing efforts on those with the greatest potential for success, sustainability, and benefits across various domains. Too many actions can dilute efforts over time and space.
• Maximizing the resources provided by political and legal instruments, as well as the competencies and autonomy of local agencies, to strengthen their role within the solutions and reduce dependence on centralized or concentrated structures.
• Including in the design of solutions a monitoring and evaluation plan with specific indicators, responsibilities for their measurement, and an implementation timeline. Similarly, creating a tool to document the contributions of ancestral/traditional community knowledge to highlight their benefits for the solution.

Implementation of adaptation measures

For implementing the measures, it is advisable to:

• Systematically and thoroughly document the execution of actions, successes, failures, and barriers, as well as adjustments and their effects, to reduce uncertainty in future decisions and report best practices.
• Avoid, as much as possible, changes in personnel directly responsible for the implementation/supervision of the
  solutions.
• Rigorously execute the monitoring and evaluation plans.
• Periodically disseminate the results of monitoring and evaluation to maintain engagement with all actors and the community at large and strengthen transparency.

Suggested Citation

Salas-Bourgoin, M.A. 2025. Adaptation solutions for climate resilience in the Andes. Adaptation at Altitude Program. CONDESAN, SDC. Lima.