Improving systems to cope with climate.

• Author: Conaway, Janelle
• Position: OAS

THE SAN JUAN RIVER Basin, shared by Costa Rica and Nicaragua, is the chief freshwater reserve in Central America, boasting rich and diverse ecosystems. Yet most of its one million inhabitants live in poverty, without access to safe water, sanitation, or schools. They are made even more vulnerable by recurring natural hazards that range from hurricanes and flooding to heat waves and severe droughts.

Such climate extremes can exacerbate underdevelopment, unemployment, forced migration, an uncertain food supply, and other problems. The governments of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, with technical support from the OAS Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment (USDE), are working to identify practices to cope with climate variability in this region. The project is also supported by the International Secretariat of the Dialogue on Water and Climate (DWC), based in The Netherlands, and funded by the Dutch government.

As part of the project, the OAS has been coordinating a dialogue among area stakeholders such as local governments, municipalities, farmers, universities, and nongovernmental organizations. Workshops were held in September to gather perceptions and share approaches used to prepare for...