SESSION DESCRIPTION
.
E1
Stepwise approach to adaptation planning
and implementation in two coastal cities in
Mozambique
Reality Check Workshop
Date: Tuesday, 9 June 2015
Time: 16:45-18:45
Rooms: S29-S31
Language:
English and Portuguese
ICLEI contact: Evgenia Mitroliou
Organized by: Chemonics International
OBJECTIVE
This workshop illustrated how coastal cities Pemba and Quelimane are responding to major challenges
by taking a stepwise approach to building their climate change adaptation planning capacity, engaging
communities with concrete demonstration projects, and working in conjunction with national agencies to
improve their disaster response capabilities. More specifically:

While avoiding costly and time-consuming initiatives, Pemba and Quelimane are adopting a
variety of adaptation planning tools that are simple and inexpensive yet effective, as they build
their adaptation planning capability.

To demonstrate results in the field, Pemba and Quelimane are launching efforts to design and
test climate-smart housing, while training local construction firms to build houses with locally
available materials at reasonable costs.

To overcome the obstacles of obtaining information during and following natural disasters, the
cities are piloting a SMS-based early warning and data collection platform that involves the
active participation of local community leaders.
OUTCOMES
The purpose of the workshop was to:

Show the participants that it is not necessary to launch complex and expensive adaptation
planning activities to significantly increase resiliency and reduce the vulnerability of coastal
cities;

Develop the understanding of participants in the stepwise approach to building a more
comprehensive adaptation plan while it is being implemented;

Allow presenters to share their efforts in the design and putting in place of climate-smart
infrastructure demonstrations and to seek feedback from other workshop participants;

Enable presenters to learn from other city and disaster management agencies during the
breakout groups about better ways to approach adaptation planning, demonstration activities
and disaster response data collection and management.
METHODOLOGY, CONTRIBUTORS
Facilitator:
Carlos E. Quintela, Chief of Party, USAID Coastal City Adaptation Project, Chemonics
International, Washington DC, USA
16:45-17:00
Welcome, Introduction and Context
The facilitator introduced the delegates to the audience and will provide the general
context of the cities of Pemba and Quelimane.
17:00-17:20
Manuel de Araújo, Municipal President, City of Quelimane, Mozambique
Local Adaptation Planning, Vulnerability Mapping and Other Climate Change
Adaptation Tools
Implementation of effective climate change adaptation and resilience solutions in
resource-constrained cities requires a stepwise approach. Mayor Araújo presented the
tools that are being adopted to ensure that the direction and pace of the changes he in
Quelimane and his colleague, Mayor Tagir Ássimo Carimo, in Pemba, are promoting to
prepare their cities for the short-term impacts of natural disasters and the longer-term
effects of climate change are being effective. He explained how they are building on
their current capacity to accomplish immediate objectives as they construct more
complex, integral and sustainable solutions for their cities.
17:20-17:40
Armando Martins John, Senior Advisor to the Municipal President of Pemba, City of
Pemba, Mozambique
The Power of Results on the Ground: Demonstration Activities
Senior Advisor John presented the plans that the cities of Pemba and Quelimane have
for showing their communities, in very concrete terms, what climate smart household
infrastructure looks like, its cost and benefits. He described the process they are
starting, how they are engaging their communities, what other complementary green
infrastructure actions they are undertaking and asked the workshop participants about
their own experiences with housing, sanitation and potable water, specifically, in floodprone and vulnerable urban areas.
17:40-18:00
Ana Cristina João Manuel, Director of Prevention and Mitigation, National Institute of
Disaster Management (INGC), Maputo, Mozambique
Use of Mobile Phone Technology in Disaster Preparedness and Response
Director Manuel introduced Mozambique’s Disaster Management Agency and their
recent effort at designing and implementing an early warning and data collection
platform based on mobile phone technology. She showed that, although early warning
capabilities need to be enhanced, the biggest challenge in disaster preparedness and
response in Mozambique is the ability to collect information about field conditions
during and following major natural disasters so decisions can be made quickly with
accurate and timely information that is shared with all the actors involved.
18:00-18:30
Breakout discussion groups
Group facilitator: Lee Gerston, Manager of the Coastal City Adaptation Project,
Chemonics International, Washington DC, USA
Group Themes:
18:30 -18:45

Local Adaptation Planning, Vulnerability Mapping and Other Climate Change
Adaptation Tools

The Power of Results on the Ground: Demonstration Activities

Use of Mobile Phone Technology in Disaster Response
Final Discussion and Outlook
The facilitator invited input and feedback from the participants.
Further recommended reading
Adapting to Climate Change in Mozambique’s coastal cities
http://www.chemonics.com/OurWork/OurProjects/Pages/Mozambique-Coastal-City-Adaptation-Project.aspx
Saving lives through cell-phones in Mozambique
http://www.chemonics.com/OurImpact/SharingImpact/ImpactStories/Pages/Saving-Lives-through-Cell-Phones-inMozambique.aspx