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Improving Capacities and Communication on Climate Threats for Water Resources Adaptation in Paraguay

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Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation

Abstract

Successfully improving the capacities and communication on climate adaptation in water resources in Paraguay requires enhanced acceptance and understanding of both climate change and variability adaptation (CCA and CVA respectively). This is firstly to realize that the country has some intrinsic vulnerability being already impacted by climate threats on specific geographic and time scales. Climatic trends, cycles, and extremes impact the rich agropastoral basis of the economy, e.g., GDP and exports. The current deficit of CVA implies some lack of CCA to future scenarios. Secondly, we suggest focusing on building capacity on climate science and management through the (i) reinforcement of science-driven knowledge, e.g., future climate projections and scenarios; (ii) enhancing the communication of climate services within the Rio de la Plata basin (RPB) to make them more user-friendly; and (iii) training of climate science managers (CSM) capable of understanding and communicating climate-related issues, as well as to plan management policies. Thirdly, the coproduction of knowledge by natural and social scientists, engineers, managers, and users is necessary in order for them to be better informed and to produce flexible scenarios and plans. Journalists should participate to be acquainted with climatic events and time scales. Some of these activities have already been done or are being developed: (i) the reinforcement of science-driven knowledge, i.e., a dynamic climate downscaling was carried out with PRECIS tool; (ii) a master’s degree in global change was created; (iii) regional climate services are improving; and (iv) the understanding of the impacts of CCA and CVA is increasing. A climate forum can provide the required platform to build capacity and communication awareness and the coproduction of knowledge with elected authorities, stakeholders, and journalists, further allowing for a consensual climate adaptation process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad Politécnica, Universidad Nacional de Asunción (FP-UNA), San Lorenzo, Paraguay

    Genaro Coronel & Max Pastén

  2. Maestría en Cambio Global: Énfasis en Riesgos Climáticos (FP-UNA), Campus Universitario San Lorenzo, San Lorenzo, Paraguay

    Genaro Coronel & Max Pastén

  3. Dirección de Meteorología e Hidrología, DMH-DINAC, Asunción, Paraguay

    Julián Báez

  4. Unidad de Estudios Hídro-Ambientales, Centro de Tecnología Apropiada, Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, Campus Santa Librada, Asunción, Paraguay

    Roger Monte Domecq

  5. Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorología (INUMET), Montevideo, Uruguay

    Mario Bidegain

  6. IECA, Facultad de Ciencias, UdelaR, Montevideo, Uruguay and MaestrÚa en Cambio Global: Énfasis en Riesgos ClimÃticos (FP-UNA), Campus Universitario San Lorenzo, San Lorenzo, Paraguay

    Gustavo J. Nagy

Authors
  1. Genaro Coronel
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  2. Max Pastén
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  3. Julián Báez
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  4. Roger Monte Domecq
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  5. Mario Bidegain
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  6. Gustavo J. Nagy
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Genaro Coronel .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Hamburg University of Applied Sciences Faculty of Life Science, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

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Coronel, G., Pastén, M., Báez, J., Domecq, R.M., Bidegain, M., Nagy, G.J. (2014). Improving Capacities and Communication on Climate Threats for Water Resources Adaptation in Paraguay. In: Leal Filho, W. (eds) Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40455-9_113-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40455-9_113-1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-40455-9

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