HR: 14:45h
AN: U33B-04    [Abstracts]
TI: Can we reduce vulnerability and enhance adaptation to climate change and climate variability in urban areas? Lessons from Latin America
AU: * Sanchez Rodriguez, R A
EM: roberto.sanchez-rodriguez@ucr.edu
AF: University of California, 3324 Olmsted Hall, Riverside, CA 92521, United States
AB: IPCC 4th Assessment Report has brought renewed attention to climate change and the challenges it creates for societies. The call for action has focused on the reduction of CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases but has not provided equal attention to identifying the impacts of climate change on societies. This is a critical issue for poor countries where the most dramatic negative consequences of those impacts will occur. The incorrect perception that the consequences will only occur in the medium- to long -term often contributes to the notion that those impacts do not require as much attention as the most immediate urban and environmental problems. Yet, the decisions that urban areas take today with regards to urban growth can dramatically increase their vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and neglect opportunities to better adapt to its negative impacts. This talk presents a series of reflections about the challenges to reduce vulnerability to climate change in urban areas and open opportunities to better adapt to its negative impacts.
DE: 1225 Global change from geodesy (1222, 1622, 1630, 1641, 1645, 4556)
DE: 1630 Impacts of global change (1225)
DE: 1641 Sea level change (1222, 1225, 4556)
DE: 6300 POLICY SCIENCES (7964)
DE: 6600 PUBLIC ISSUES
SC: Union [U]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly