Building capacity on ecosystem-based adaptation strategy to cope with extreme events and sea-level rise on the Uruguayan coast

Basic information

• Case ID: INT-020-1
• Intervention type: Restoration
• Intervention description:

  ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) measures to increase coastal system’s resilience to extreme weather events and sea-level rise (SLR) implemented at Kiyú (Uruguayan coast of the Rio de la Plata river estuary). The recovery of coastal ecosystems was implemented through soft measures (green infrastructure) such as revegetation with native species, dune regeneration, sustainable drainage systems and the reduction of use pressures. The dune reconstruction and the replacement of the forested park by the resilient deciduous native forest species close the recovery cycle. The former allows accumulating sand due to the presence of vegetation which captures sand and recycles its structure after each windstorm event. The latter reduces the impacts of extreme weather events on coastal bluffs while allowing sunlight to reach the dune grasses to develop and consolidate the dunes.

• Landscape/sea scape ecosystem management: Yes

• Climate change impacts	Effect of Nbs on CCI	Effect measures
  Storm surge	Positive	vulnerability reduction assessment (VRA) and measure the relative change in the adaptive capacity of a community before (baseline), during and after the implementation of a CBA project activities. (lower vulnerability perception (1.8) of local stakeholders due to the perceived reduction of barriers combined with the high increase adaptive capacity (3.3) attributed to the observed recovery of sandy dunes and participatory monitoring activities.
  Coastal erosion	Positive	vulnerability reduction assessment (VRA) and measure the relative change in the adaptive capacity of a community before (baseline), during and after the implementation of a CBA project activities. (lower vulnerability perception (1.8) of local stakeholders due to the perceived reduction of barriers combined with the high increase adaptive capacity (3.3) attributed to the observed recovery of sandy dunes and participatory monitoring activities.
  Coastal inundation	Positive	vulnerability reduction assessment (VRA) and measure the relative change in the adaptive capacity of a community before (baseline), during and after the implementation of a CBA project activities. (lower vulnerability perception (1.8) of local stakeholders due to the perceived reduction of barriers combined with the high increase adaptive capacity (3.3) attributed to the observed recovery of sandy dunes and participatory monitoring activities.

• Approach implemented in the field: Yes
• Specific location:

  Kiyé (348420S: 568430W)

• Country: Uruguay
• Habitat/Biome type: Coastal |
• Issue specific term: Ecosystem-based adaptation
  Green/blue infrastructure
  

Evidence

• Notes on intervention effectivness: The after-implementation VRA showed an increase in the perception of threats due to the occurrence of erosive extreme rainstorms in early 2014, despite what vulnerability perception lowered (1.8) due to the perceived reduction of barriers and the high increase in adaptive capacity (3.3) attributed to the observed recovery of sandy dunes and participatory monitoring activities.
• Is the assessment original?: Yes
• Broadtype of intervention considered: Not applicable
• Compare effectivness?: No
• Compared to the non-NBS approach: Not applicable
• Report greenhouse gas mitigation?: No
• Impacts on GHG: Not applicable
• Assess outcomes of the intervention on natural ecosystems: No
• Impacts for the ecosystem: Not reported
• Ecosystem measures:
• Assess outcomes of the intervention on people: Yes
• Impacts for people: Positive
• People measures: increased adaptive capacity and vulnerability (quantified) - vulnerability reduction assessment (VRA) and measure the relative change in the adaptive capacity of a community before (baseline), during and after the implementation of a CBA project activities.
• Considers economic costs: No
• Economic appraisal conducted: No
• Economic appraisal described:
• Economic costs of alternative considered: No
• Compared to an alternative: Not reported

Evaluation methodology

• Type of data: Mixed qualitative/quantitative
• Is it experimental: No
• Experimental evalution done: Not applicable
• Non-experimental evalution done: Empirical case study
• Study is systematic: