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This report, commissioned by the UNDP and implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), assesses climate risks and risk management capacity within Nicaragua's health sector. It identifies a strong link between climate variability—specifically heavy rainfall, floods, and droughts—and the prevalence of water-borne and vector-borne diseases, exacerbated by systemic vulnerabilities in water and sanitation infrastructure.

This report, produced by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for the UNDP, evaluates climate risks and management capacities within Nicaragua's health sector. It identifies a strong correlation between extreme weather events—such as floods and droughts—and the prevalence of waterborne and vector-borne diseases, while highlighting systemic vulnerabilities in water access, sanitation, and health infrastructure. The document recommends integrating climate risk management into national health policies and improving inter-institutional coordination to protect public health and achieve broader development goals.

This case study examines the process of decentralization in Nicaragua, focusing on the transfer of natural resource management responsibilities to municipal governments. It highlights a significant gap between legal attributions and the actual transfer of power and funding from the central government, noting that while grassroots support for local autonomy is high, municipal capacity remains low and central control over revenue-generating resources persists.