Participatory collaborative research to enhance climate change adaptation and mitigation in underserved communities in Asia and North- and South America

The rise of global surface temperatures is causing extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and storms. Designing the built environment for environmental sustainability and high resilience against extreme weather is crucial to face the challenges of the future rapid increase in climate-related disasters, especially in areas inhabited by vulnerable populations. Such design calls for holistic, inclusive, regenerative, and self-sustaining approaches which result in an overall net positive impact on the environment and the communities living in it. The design addresses how to reconcile climate resilience with net zero GHG emission-built environments, whilst restoring biodiverse ecosystems and fostering social cohesion. This project proposes an interdisciplinary approach to develop strategies for the implementation of such an urban design in vulnerable communities, focused on risks related to coastal socio-ecological systems, critical physical infrastructure, and water security. The general objective is to co-design a framework to implement solutions in case studies (living labs) that boost the adaptation to the new climatic and socioeconomic conditions of the areas. A novel participative design methodology will be used, promoting institutional and citizen dialogues to collectively craft solutions responsive to the people’s needs and to generate opportunities that reinforce and transform the social fabric. Our living labs aim to optimize the engagement of marginalized communities in the co-design and implementation of durable solutions, building a sense of ownership of the recovered urban space. Based on sustainable, innovative, and traditional construction techniques, such solutions will address three specific objectives: a) climate change adaptation of vulnerable infrastructure; b) regeneration of urban ecosystems; c) promotion of biodiversity. Three case studies will be developed in close collaboration with local partners in communities exposed to risk related to sea level rise, coastal flooding, and extreme rain episodes and storms in Colombia, Indonesia, and the USA Gulf Coast. The resulting strategy will be replicable in other built areas facing risks resulting from a fast-changing climate, contributing to the development of strategies for sustainable, inclusive, and resilient communities. Equity, diversity, and inclusion are taken into account in the team composition, recruitment, research, training, and development opportunities.