Overcoming Institutional Instability in Cartagena de Indias

This case study examines how Cartagena de Indias has maintained its climate change adaptation agenda despite significant institutional instability caused by the illness and death of Mayor Elias Terán and a subsequent rotation of acting mayors.

• Institutional instability in Cartagena, characterized by the rotation of mayors and the dismissal or inspection of leaders, has negatively impacted decision-making, institutional memory, and the continuity of public policy design and implementation.
• To insulate climate action from political volatility, Cartagena established an Interinstitutional Commission on Climate Change involving public, private, and academic organizations, and created a dedicated office for climate change within the Secretary of Planning.
• The city's climate strategy is supported by a vulnerability assessment and a participatory document called 'Guidelines for Adaptation' produced by INVEMAR and CDKN. These guidelines have been integrated into the Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Plan debates.
• Urgent climatic stressors, including sea level rise, rainfall intensity, and drainage failures that cause flooding in vulnerable neighborhoods and the historic center, have driven the necessity for adaptation as a matter of city competitiveness and survival.
• Cartagena receives multi-level support for its climate efforts, including technical assistance from the Institute of Marine and Coastal Investigations (INVEMAR), national support from the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, and international support from the Climate Development Knowledge Network (CDKN).

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (n.d.). Overcoming Institutional Instability in Cartagena de Indias. https://cdkn.org/story/overcoming-institutional-instability-in-cartagena-de-indias

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. Overcoming Institutional Instability in Cartagena de Indias. n.d. https://cdkn.org/story/overcoming-institutional-instability-in-cartagena-de-indias.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=Overcoming Institutional Instability in Cartagena de Indias |url=https://cdkn.org/story/overcoming-institutional-instability-in-cartagena-de-indias |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetworkndovercoming, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{Overcoming Institutional Instability in Cartagena de Indias}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, url = {https://cdkn.org/story/overcoming-institutional-instability-in-cartagena-de-indias}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }