The updated NDC presents climate change adaptation measures for the Agriculture,
Coffee farmer Hector Velasquez, whose land sits on the exposed slopes of San Salvador Volcano, overlooking the city, was among those in the storm''s path. Over three days, the storm dumped 2m of rain on his farm, sparking a landslide that wiped out an area of around 3,000m2.
When Velasquez was a child, rainfall in San Salvador was mostly a continuous-but-light drizzle spread across eight months. The soil had time to absorb the water. But, in recent years, climate change has made extreme storms more common in El Salvador.
They are especially devastating around the capital, where rampant construction and road paving have created a concrete barrier that prevents rainfall from being absorbed into the ground.
But a movement is underway to change that. City officials and coffee farmers, with support from UNEP, havelaunched a projectto restore 1,150 hectares of forests and coffee plantations. The goal: revive San Salvador''s ability to absorb rainfall.
In San Salvador, floods and landslides are washing away valuable topsoil, and with it the fertility of the coffee plantations. "The soil, forus farmers,is the wealth of our farm," says Velasquez. "If we don''t have it, we don''t produce."
Before a decline in production over the last 10 years, coffee had been vital for El Salvador''s economy, employing around 150,000 people in 2012. Areportby the International Food Policy Research Institute estimates that by 2050, climate change could hit El Salvador''s coffee sector more than any other country in the world.
Enter the forest and coffee farm restoration project. Known asCityAdapt, it is premised on a simple fact. When vegetation is replaced with concrete, the ground loses its permeability. But trees and other vegetation can be used as sponges, drawing enormous quantities of water into the earth, preventing erosion, limiting floods and recharging groundwater supplies for times of drought.
The term ''sponge city'' is used to describe an urban area that is creating green spaces to tackle flooding. Cities around the world, fromBerlintoWuhan,are now pursuing this innovative strategy. The use of nature-based solutions for adapting to climate change is known asecosystem-based adaptation.
"Ecosystem-based adaptation is a proven strategy in both cities and rural areas," says Jessica Troni, Head of the Climate Change Adaptation Unit at UNEP. "UNEP is helping governments around the world to build climate resilience with over 45 ecosystem-based adaptation projects, and in the process, over 113,000 hectares of ecosystems are being restored."
CityAdapt, which is funded by theGlobal Environment Facility, has helped around 16,000 people in San Salvador to reduce their risk of flooding. By the project''s completion in 2022, this number was expected to rise to 115,000.
Leyla Zelaya, CityAdapt''s National Coordinator for El Salvador, says 3,514fruit trees have been planted during the reforestation process to provide extra resources to local communities. The project is also active inXalapa,Mexico, andKingston,Jamaica.
Back on Hector Velasquez''s coffee farm, when asked what he would say to someone that does not believe in climate change, he laughs: "We have a saying: There is not a person more blind than the one who does not want to see. And there is not a person as deaf as the one who doesn''t want to hear."
The Sectoral Solution to the climate crisis
UNEP is at the forefront of supporting the Paris Agreement goal of keeping global temperature rise well below 2°C, and aiming for 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels. To do this, UNEP has developed the Sectoral Solution, a roadmap to reducing emissions across sectors in line with the Paris Agreement commitments and in pursuit of climate stability. The six sectors identified are: energy; industry; agriculture and food; forests and land use; transport; and buildings and cities.
The United Nations Environment Programmeis working with San Salvador city and its surrounding coffee farms to create a natural defence against floods. Known asCityAdapt, the project is restoring 1,150 hectares of forests and coffee plantations to reviveSan Salvador''s ability to absorb rainfall.
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CityAdapt is funded by the Global Environment Facility.Youcan find more information on the project website here.
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Located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in Central America, El Salvador is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as sea level rise and more frequent and intense extreme weather events.
With 2023 being the hottest year recorded so far, the climate crisis is bound to continue challenging the country''s resilience. For example, in 2022, storm Julia damaged over 400 homes, destroyed 7,000 hectares of crops, and left an estimated 180,000 people without access to enough food.
However, young people in El Salvador know that indifference and inaction can be costly, or even deadly. They have the ability and driving force to identify, support and commit to climate action in order to protect the future of their communities. Through creative and innovative ideas and perspectives on how to live a sustainable and resilient life, they are shaping a green future for their country.
UNDP in El Salvador is helping raise awareness of the challenges posed by climate change and the solutions available to tackle it, while making sure everyone can make their voice heard. With a new campaign, it seeks to amplify the voices of young people who provide solutions and hope for the country.
Five young people shared their vision of the future and what motivated them to shift from indifference to action on climate change. They showed us that solutions are within reach, that every action counts, and that everyone has a role to play.
"I start thinking, because I have a son, about the kind of world we are leaving behind for the next generation. What are we teaching them? We are their example."
At the age of 20, he founded Bichos Boya, a company that manufactures balance boards, skateboards and surfboards. For each board they sell, they plant a native tree in the coastal area of La Libertad, near the capital of El Salvador, San Salvador.
Now 25, André tries to instill environmental awareness in everything he does. With Bichos Boya, he has inspired more young people to join and volunteer to reforest, clean mangroves and care about the environment in their communities.
Jennifer Benavides uses plastic bags to create bricks that can be used as vertical supports to complement constructions. She draws inspiration and motivation from the youngest members of her family.
Jennifer''s hope is that more people join her in reusing materials, sharing information with others or finding other creative solutions to build a safer future.
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