Lao PDR: Building Resilience of Urban Populations in Lao PDR with Ecosystem-based Solutions [Project Brief]

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events in Lao PDR. This coupled with inadequate urban planning and drainage systems are leading to severe flooding in the major cities of Vientiane, Paksan, Savannakhet and Pakse. This project is building climate resilience of local communities in these cities through the implementation of an integrated approach to flood management to reduce the impacts of urban flooding and to help manage climate change induced floods in a long-term. The project activities include strengthening technical capacity and knowledge management for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), developing city-level flood management strategies, and implementing urban EbA solutions, including protecting and restoring wetlands and urban streams along the Mekong River. The project is also supporting the production and dissemination of information on local, regional, and international levels to build technical capacity for the implementation of urban EbA interventions.