Embedding climate change resilience in coastal city planning: Early lessons from Cartagena de Indias, Colombia

Cartagena de Indias has developed the first adaptation guidelines for a coastal city in South America to manage risks from sea level rise, extreme weather, and flooding. These guidelines integrate scientific knowledge with the city's socioeconomic context, including its reliance on tourism and transportation. The process is being monitored by the Colombian government to inform the National Adaptation Plan and other coastal urban areas. The city views adaptation as a means to improve citizen life and avoid the long-term costs of inaction, though the process requires sustained capacity building for local stakeholders.

• Cartagena is the first coastal city in South America to create 'Guidelines for Adaptation to Climate Change', which provide a vulnerability assessment and recommendations for adaptation and socioeconomic development.
• The guidelines are intended to be the basis for future municipal planning, specifically a comprehensive climate change adaptation plan and new zoning policies.
• The Colombian national government is monitoring Cartagena's process to help shape the National Adaptation Plan and similar strategies for other Colombian coastal towns and cities.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2013). Embedding climate change resilience in coastal city planning: Early lessons from Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. https://cdkn.org/resource/embedding-climate-change-resilience-in-coastal-city-planning-early-lessons-from-cartagena-de-indias-colombia

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. Embedding climate change resilience in coastal city planning: Early lessons from Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. 2013. https://cdkn.org/resource/embedding-climate-change-resilience-in-coastal-city-planning-early-lessons-from-cartagena-de-indias-colombia.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=Embedding climate change resilience in coastal city planning: Early lessons from Cartagena de Indias, Colombia |date=23 February 2013 |url=https://cdkn.org/resource/embedding-climate-change-resilience-in-coastal-city-planning-early-lessons-from-cartagena-de-indias-colombia |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2013embedding, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{Embedding climate change resilience in coastal city planning: Early lessons from Cartagena de Indias, Colombia}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2013}, month = feb, url = {https://cdkn.org/resource/embedding-climate-change-resilience-in-coastal-city-planning-early-lessons-from-cartagena-de-indias-colombia}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }