Climate Change Adaptation, Public Investments

and Local Resource-based Approaches

Green Jobs through Green Works.

Works

Objective:
Introduce an approach that helps communities
(and local governments) to adapt to changing
local weather patterns and which generates
local income and other benefits for poor people

The views expressed in this paper/presentation are the views of the author(s) and do not
necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its
Board of Directors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the
source, originality, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any statement, information,
data, finding, interpretation, advice, opinion, or view presented, nor does it make any
representation concerning the same.
Bangkok Post 31-10-2010
A farmer fishing in his rice field (beginning dry season)
Not making the headlines…….
 Background
• The poor and vulnerable will suffer disproportionally from changing
weather patterns
• Climate change will impact on their water supplies, flood risks, health,
crop yields and livelihoods, living conditions and transport
• Efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change should equally focus on
poorer communities and help them to adapt to new living and working
conditions
• Infrastructure investments and public works will play a major part in
local adaptation to climate change
• Three main areas for adaptation through public investments:
- irrigation and water and soil conservation
- flood control, protection and drainage
- rural transport and roads
• A local resource-based approach is a “green approach” for sustainable
infrastructure development with additional benefits (income, skills,
organization capacity) for communities while adapting to changing local
climates
Local Resource-based Approaches:
Optimize the Use of Local Resources in Public
Works and Infrastructure Development, Operation
and Maintenance.

Local and
Participatory Climate Change
Planning Adaptation Works

Local Labour
Local Skills
Community Appropriate
Local Materials
Operation & Local Contractors Technology
Maintenance Local Equipment - Tools
Local Communities
Local Government Units

Community
and Petty
Contracting
• Community contracting is a term used
to describe the direct involvement of
the community or petty contractors
coming from the community in their
own infrastructure improvement works.

• The extent of the community’s

responsibilities varies depending on the
situation and the contracting
model used.

• The aim is not only to assist the

community in improving their assets,
but to generate local income, promote
capacity building in the community and
to provide experience in negotiation
with government and non-government
partners, and in the responsibilities of
organising and contracting.
The diagram below shows areas where a local resource-
based approach could be applied in local solutions to
mitigate the impacts of climate change.

• The approach adopts environmentally friendly principles and is in itself a green

approach for construction;
• Can contribute significantly to more sustainable, environmental-friendly, economic
growth in general;
• Potential for green jobs in these sub-sectors; and
• Present an important win-win opportunity in addressing climate change, pro-poor
development and employment creation in an integrated way
Flood control - Iloilo Philippines

Clearing a creek on the border of

two municipalities to reduce flooding

USD 6,050
1111 person-days
USD 5.5 / person day
Flood protection - Battambang, Cambodia
Rehabilitation of urban streets and drainage in
the Chamcar Samrong Settlement Area

USD 10,228
1,198 person-days
8.5 USD / person day
Irrigation and watershed development
- Nepal

• Irrigation field canals

28,700 green workdays – 500 workers

($ 4.8 USD per workday created) –
USD 135,574 (canals to irrigate 210
ha)

• riverbed and embankment works

and bio-engineering components
( agro-forestry and
slope/embankment grassing):

22,600 green workdays – 600 workers

($5 USD per workday created) – USD
112,800 (improving 16 sq km
watershed)
 Scaling up…..

……multiply impact (climate change adaptation,

poverty impact, employment impact

“Green” National Investment Programmes

• Cambodia – PWP component National Social Protection…
Strategy for Poor and Vulnerable…
• Philippines – Emergency Employment Programme…
• Indonesia – Fiscal Stimulus Packages, PNPM…
• India – NREGA
• Nepal, Pakistan – EGS….
• Timor Leste – Cash-for-Work
Scaling up…

Direct pro-poor benefits:

•The assets created (improved targeting, reaching the poor)

•Income is generated and employment is provided (increased use of local

resources “owned” by the poor)

Indirect other benefits (with pro-poor results):

•Skills are developed

•Local communities are involved in the process of planning and delivery of the
works.

•Local contractors are provided with meaningful and profitable work.

•Local governments are empowered through a process which puts decision

making in their hands.

•The use of local materials reduces cost and provides further income and
employment to the communities.

•Sustainable maintenance becomes a realistic objective as the local

communities feel ownership of the infrastructure that is created.
 Conclusions
 Climate change contributes to poverty and
vulnerability;
 Local communities and organizations need to be
empowered to adapt to climate change;
 Infrastructure and public works need to be seen
as part of the adaptation process (irrigation, soil
and water conservation, flood protection,
sustaining rural transport and forestation);
 Public investments in these sectors should seek
to optimize the use of local resources to
maximize benefits to the rural poor and
vulnerable.

Thank you