1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Huaraz
Region
Latin America and the Caribbean
Native title of the NBS intervention
Proyecto Glaciares
Short description of the intervention
Peru has seen a sharp increase in major flooding, prolonged droughts and water scarcity of supplies in the dry season, negatively impacting agriculture, migration, conflict and economic growth in recent years. As 71% of the world's tropical glaciers are found in Peru these climatic changes affected the country profoundly leading to a decrease in the glacial surface and creating unstable lagoons also causing natural disasters such as alluvium landslides and deadly flash foods. Glacial melt is also disrupting water flow and quality, posing a threat to the flora and fauna that rely on freshwater environments. Unsustainable management of fragile glacier ecosystems is causing environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. To counteract many of these challenges and to safeguard the communities that are in peril, in 2011, the Government of Peru together with a number of stakeholders, initiated an intervention to sustainably manage more than 200 new lakes that affect directly populations in different cities in the Ancash, Cusco and Lima regions, Huaraz being one of the cities targeted. The project benefitted downstream communities and protected fragile high-altitude freshwater ecosystems. (1,2)
Address

Huaraz 02001
Peru

Location
The NBS is a city-wide initiative, the GIS point marks the centre of the city
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Natural Heritage Area/Untouched nature
Website of the intervention
https://www.proyectoglaciares.pe
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
unknown
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2011
End date of the intervention
2019
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
The city is located below Lake Palcacocha which is surrounded by the imposing white peaks of two glaciers in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca. A temperature rise of 0.5-0.8C between the 1970s and the 2000s has seen a third of Peru’s ice caps vanish in the last four decades. Around 50,000 people live in the danger zone of the lake which now bears the brunt of the glacial meltwater and subsequently of climate change. Glacial melt is disrupting water flow and quality, posing a threat to the flora and fauna that rely on freshwater environments. In 2011, Huaraz, along with other cities and towns in Peru, was included in a project that aimed at sustainable watershed management in glacial mountain ecosystems. More precisely the project addressed the following goals:
1. To protect fragile high-altitude freshwater ecosystems
2. To protect and restore wetlands by replanting native species, protecting grassland and forests around important spring water resources, fencing tributaries for restoration of vegetation, and planting native species on water banks to protect water resources
3. To train smallholder farmers to carry out sustainable farming practices including the sustainable use of water
4. To build and strengthen capacities for adaptation to climate change and the reduction of risks associated with the retreat of the glacier while taking advantage of the opportunities to manage its water resources - flood hazards and landslides
5. To promote climate-resilient livelihood strategies in combination with income diversification and strengthening capacity for planning and better risk management
6. To impact public policy (institutional and financial sustainability) (1,2,3)
Quantitative targets
Impacting directly approx. 50,000 people in Huaraz
Restoring and protecting 143 hectares of wetland (Huaraz included)
Considering the basins of 3 basins: Santa River (Huaraz), Vilcanota - Urubamba, and Cañete River (1,2,3)
Monitoring indicators defined
Number of people impacted
Size of the area protected and restored
Number of river basins considered (1, 2, 3)
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change adaptation
Environmental quality
Soil quality improvement
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Habitat and biodiversity restoration
Habitat and biodiversity conservation
Water management (SDG 6)
Flood protection
Improvements to water quality
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Environmental and climate justice
Climate change adaptation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Reduce exposure to climate risks directly
Reduce the impacts of climate risks events on urban places and communities
Build resilience
Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Implement measures that prevent/manage desertification, soil erosion and landslides
Restore wetlands and/or coastal ecosystems to dissipate the effects of flooding and/or storms
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Species-focused
Ecosystem-focused
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Protect and enhance urban habitats
Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
Promote environmentally-sound development in and around protected areas
Protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect native species
Means for conservation governance
Raise public awareness
Public engagement
Capacity building
What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Species-focused
Ecosystem-focused
What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets?
Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
Public engagement
Implementation activities
The intervention started to be implemented in 2011 and it had 2 phases: the first phase of the project took place between November 2011 and August 2015. It aimed to strengthen operational technical capacities in glacier monitoring and research to bring scientific knowledge closer to surrounding communities and provide information for their adaptation and vulnerability reduction. Likewise, facilitate the institutional conditions that guarantee the sustainability of such actions in the framework of adaptation to climate change. Efforts on risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the intervention zones of Ancash and Cusco and since this second phase also the Cañete basin in the region of Lima were continued and an additional focus has been drawn on opportunities provided by glacier shrinkage and lake formation for energy production, domestic supply, agriculture and tourism. In the second phase of the Glaciers Project, which ended in 2019 it was expected to consolidate the progress made in the first; in order to scale up successful measures, and continue to innovate strategies and intervention mechanisms. Throughout the 2 phases, a number of workshops were organised as well as vegetation cleaning and restoration, reforestation (in 2016, 20 km from Huaraz) and wetland reconstruction. (1,2,6)
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas
Protection of natural ecosystems
Knowledge creation and awareness raising
Strategy, plan or policy development
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Blue infrastructure
Lakes/ponds
Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
Parks and urban forests
Large urban parks or forests
Vegetation Type
Trees
Please specify how many trees were planted
400 (6)
Amenities offered by the NBS
Unknown
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Regulating services
Flood regulation
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Maintenance of genetic diversity
Cultural services
Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)
Scale
Spatial scale
Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Local government/Municipality
Researchers/University
Citizens or community groups
Young people and children
Marginalized groups
Marginalized groups
Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed)
Governance
Governance arrangements
Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Non-government actors
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches
Researchers, university
Coalition with multiple of the above
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The project consists of a Peruvian part, coordinated by the NGO CARE Peru, and including local, regional and national authorities, and of a Swiss part (Swiss consortium ECS) led by the University of Zurich, and including Créalp, Meteodat GmbH, and EPFL. The expertise of the Swiss consortium is complemented by a pool of international experts in fields related to the project activities, which take over specific tasks according to the needs of the project. Both parts, the Swiss consortium and CARE, strictly collaborate in accordance with a master activity plan to efficiently achieve and disseminate the main objectives and results.
The implementing partners were the following: CARE Peru, the project was also executed in consortium with the University of Zurich and the Government of Peru (Glaciology Unit of the National Water Authority), the regional Governments of Ancash, Cusco and Lima, Peru Ministry of Environment, Peru, Ministry of Economics and Finance, community-based organisations: communities of Cusco and the Nor Yauyos- Cochas Landscape Reserve in Cañete, Lima and Meteodat, the Alpine Environment Research Center (CREALP), and the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL). The project was funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). (2,3)
Key actors - initiating organization
National government
Regional government
Local government/municipality
Non-government organisation/civil society
Citizens or community group
Researchers/university
Multilateral organisation
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
National government
Regional government
Local government/municipality
Non-government organisation/civil society
Citizens or community group
Researchers/university
Multilateral organisation
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Dissemination of information and education
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
No
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan
Peru has a National Strategy on Climate Change - Estrategia nacional al cambio climatico (2015) as well as a National Environmental Action Plan - Plan nacional de acción ambiental (2011-2021) and both identify key climate risks for the country, such as glacial retreat and reduced access to the associated water resources, unusual variation of temperatures on land and in the sea, changing historical patterns of rainfall, rising sea levels, and the increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather events. The National Strategy on Climate Change (ENCC) 2015 updates and replaces the ENCC originally adopted in 2003. It reflects the commitment of the Peruvian State to take action on climate change in an integrated, cross-cutting and multi-sectoral manner. (1,5)
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"
Yes, the project is named in the Ancash Regional Climate Change Strategy - Estrategia Regional de Cambio Climático de Ancash (Ancash is the region where Huaraz is located) for 2016-2021). The ERCC is a territorial management instrument that helps determine strategic interventions to identify the threats to which we are exposed, reduce the vulnerabilities that constitute us as a society and manage risk to take advantage of the opportunities that climate change brings. (1)
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
Not exactly a city plan but a regional one, the project mentions the Ancash Regional Climate Change Strategy - Estrategia Regional de Cambio Climático de Ancash (Ancash is the region where Huaraz is located) for 2016-2021). The ERCC is a territorial management instrument that helps determine strategic interventions to identify the threats to which we are exposed, reduce the vulnerabilities that constitute us as a society and manage risk to take advantage of the opportunities that climate change brings. (1)
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
City specific climate change policy or plan
Municipal / city level environmental plan or programme
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
Yes, the project was implemented in 3 regions (Ancash, Cusco, and Lima) over a number of towns and cities including Huaraz. Throughout the project the regions developed partnerships in order to strengthen capacity for addressing climate change but also exchange best practices (1)
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
There weren't NBS research projects prior to the intervention however the project itself generated a number of studies. More precisely a number of 14 publications (studies, articles) have been issued. A comprehensive list (with links to publications) can be found in reference 3. From the 14 studies, the one that focuses on Huaraz is: Frey, H., Huggel, C., Chisolm, R.E., Baer, P., McArdell, B., Cochachin, A., Portocarrero, C. 2018. Multi-Source Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Hazard Assessment and Mapping for Huaraz, Cordillera Blanca, Peru. Frontiers in Earth Science, 6, doi:10.3189/2015JoG15J017
(3)
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Co-finance for NBS
Yes
Co-financing governance arrangements
Unknown
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
Total: CHF 19,000,000 = 17,944,000 EUR (currency exchange rate retrieved November 2, 2021, Source: https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=CHF&To=EUR)
SDC Contribution:
Phase 1: CHF 4,961,986
Phase 2: CHF 5,000,000
Other estimated contributions: CHF 9,038,014
Source(s) of funding
Multilateral funds/international funding
National or regional development bank
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Yes
Type of non-financial contribution
Provision of land
Provision of labour
Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Business models
Risk reduction model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Citizens / local communities
Type of innovation
Social
Policy innovation
Economic innovation
Please specify social innovation
One of the project innovations was to adopt a participatory approach for tackling climate change which eventually influenced the policy responses of the authorities. Eventually regional public policies to promote the consolidation and extension of public administration and research instruments for promoting successful adaptation measures to tackle disaster risk and climate change in the glacier basins were adopted. From an economic point of view, locals were trained in sustainable agricultural practices that are not damaging the environment. (1)
Novelty level of the innovation
Ambiguous (e.g. multiple interpretations)
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
It was not clear from the sources if the intervention was copied from previous initiatives.
Replicability/Transferability
The innovation is transferred to new initiative(s) without substantial adaptation
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Other towns were included in the project and subjected to the same implementing measures. Just to name a few of the cities: Cusco, Urubamba, Santa Teresa, Carhuaz. (1)
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Climate change
Water management and blue areas
Improved stormwater management
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Description of environmental benefits
Reforestation of 400 queñuales seedlings was carried out in 2016 in Huaraz, for the conservation of this species native to the area. (6) This native plant since ancient times has been the key to protecting the headwaters of basins, the habitat needed by the biodiversity of Andean forests and wetlands. The queñual is one of the most cold-resistant trees in the world, there are species within its family that develop above 5,200 meters above sea level. The importance of the queñuales is not only measured in the ability to grow in icy places, but in the ecological functions it fulfils: it regulates the climate, prevents erosion, contributes nutrients to the improvement of soils, stores large amounts of water, feeds springs, etc. A queñua requires 5% of the water used by a eucalyptus to develop, which is why this plant is very useful for climate change adaptation development policies. Quenua is also an endemic species In Peru. (5)
Combining the restoration of native vegetation and sustainable use of natural resources in key watersheds with grey infrastructure such as dams can help ensure long-term sustainable management of water resources while meeting immediate needs for irrigation, fishing and energy generation. This type of hybrid management can meet and balance water needs and generate broader stakeholder support for nature-based solutions. (2)
Economic impacts
Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
Description of economic benefits
Four women-owned and operated companies have been created to sustainably produce and market products such as coffee, granadilla and honey. (2)
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research
Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Safety
Improved community safety to climate-related hazards
Description of social and cultural benefits
From 2011 to 2015, in the first phase of the project, an Early Warning System (EWS) for outbursts of a glacier lake has been designed and installed in the city of Carhuaz, Ancash Region; and an integrative risk management strategy has been planned and implemented for Santa Teresa, Cusco Region. In Huaraz, 2 Early Warning Systems for glacial lagoon floods were implemented. Nearly 70,000 people living downstream from the glaciers have benefitted from early warning systems for landslides. (1) A prevention map has been drawn so that the local community can clearly identify the fastest evacuation route and the safe place, established by the municipality, where they should go in the event of a landslide. This has been distributed to over 9000 households in the most vulnerable areas of Huaraz and Independencia, with the support of a team of volunteers who have gone door to door to create prevention awareness in the community. (3,4) The intervention led to the Climate Capacity and Vulnerability Analysis Manual (CVCA) which is the methodological tool of the community-based adaptation approach. (1) Close collaboration amongst communities, researchers and government officials has strengthened collective management of resources and climate risks. Scientific and local knowledge on nature-based solutions is now integrated into government development plans, strategies, and investments. This has led to increased public and private investment in sustainable water resources management. Increased monitoring capacity supported by the government of Peru enables more data to be used by researchers to inform the design of nature-based solutions and other measures, creating a virtuous cycle of long-term planning and implementation. 6 Methodological and management instruments generated/promoted in coordination with national and local institutions. (1) 1073 farmers have gained greater skills in climate adaption, disaster risk management and integrated management of water resources. (2)
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
Number of people impacted
Number of trees planted
Number of people benefiting from EWS
Number of people trained (1,2,3,4,6)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
Paid employment positions
Voluntary work opportunities
Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...
Positive distribution of NBS benefits
Improved access to green and/or blue spaces
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
The project ended in 2019 - therefore Covid 19 has not impacted the implementation during the project and no news regarding the impacts of Covid were found as of November 2, 2021.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
Collection of monitoring data continuously throughout the project to aid evaluation
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Questionnaire surveys / online surveys
GIS data analysis
Measurements of biophysical aspects of the NBS (e.g. temperature, water flow)
Observation (including virtual surveillance methods)
Where can this data be accessed? Please include a link to a report or web-page.
https://www.cooperacionsuiza.pe/categoria_de_publicacion/glaciares/
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
Yes
Link to monitoring/evaluation reports
https://www.cooperacionsuiza.pe/categoria_de_publicacion/glaciares/
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown
Link to the output of assessments
https://www.cooperacionsuiza.pe/categoria_de_publicacion/glaciares/
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
Yes
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Yes
Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Focus Group
Submission of monitoring data (citizen observation)
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
The Website of the Project
The Climate Capacity and Vulnerability Analysis Manual (CVCA)
Documents relevant to the intervention
Attachment Size
Study on Huaraz (6.07 MB) 6.07 MB
Project description (203.71 KB) 203.71 KB
List of references
1. Proyecto Glaciares (2019), Website of the intervention, available at https://www.proyectoglaciares.pe (accessed 2-11-2021)
2. Farm Africa (2021), Nature-based Solutions in Action: Lessons from the Frontline, available at https://www.farmafrica.org/downloads/resources/Bond-NatureBasedSolutionsCaseStudies.pdf (accessed 2-11-2021)
3. University of Zurich (no date), E-clim: Glaciers, available at https://eclim-research.ch/glaciares/ (accessed 2-11-2021)
4. COSUDE (2017), In the framework of the Glaciers Project + in Ancash, available at https://www.cooperacionsuiza.pe/may-3-2017/ (accessed 2-11-2021)
5. SoloParaViajeros (2019), El queñual, el árbol nativo que puede salvar al mundo, available at http://soloparaviajeros.pe/el-quenual-el-arbol-nativo-que-puede-salvar-al-mundo/ (accessed 2-11-2021)
6. Proyecto Glaciares (2016), Reforestación de plantones de quenuales (Ancash), available at https://www.proyectoglaciares.pe/reforestacion-de-plantones-de-quenuales-ancash/ (accessed 2-11-2021)
7. COSUDE (no date), Publications and reports, available at https://www.cooperacionsuiza.pe/categoria_de_publicacion/glaciares/ (accessed 2-11-2021)
Comments and notes
Additional insights
Huaraz is a city in Peru and the capital of the Ancash Region.

Policy impacts: the project provided punctual support to the national government in the context of the elaboration of Peru’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) towards the UNFCCC for further progress in emission reductions and adaptation to impacts of climate change. (3)
Public Images
Photo 3
Quenuales
https://www.proyectoglaciares.pe/reforestacion-de-plantones-de-quenuales-ancash/
Photo 1
Location of the city
https://www.proyectoglaciares.pe/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/info-ANCASH-CARE-final.pdf
Photo 2
NASA photo
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/3343/glacial-collapse-threatens-huaraz-peru
Photo 3
Type of trees planted
https://www.proyectoglaciares.pe/reforestacion-de-plantones-de-quenuales-ancash/
Photo 5
Endemic species
https://www.proyectoglaciares.pe/reforestacion-de-plantones-de-quenuales-ancash/