Bradley Kratzer
Translating Research Into Climate Adaptation Action in LAC
This summer, I interned with the Climate Resilience Practice (CRP) of the World Resources Institute’s Center for Equitable Development. CRP works with governments, multilateral institutions and communities to accelerate transformative adaptation and catalyze support for marginalized people who are on the frontlines of our changing climate. Through a systematic literature review and qualitative survey analysis, I gained a deeper understanding of how the co-benefits of Nature-based Solutions to climate adaptation can cost-effectively align action for the Paris Climate Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the challenges to scaling them. Additionally, I contributed to an ongoing assessment of long-term adaptation planning efforts and needs in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region for the Inter-American Development Bank and French Development Agency. I analyzed member countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions, National Adaptation Plans and long-term development strategies, and supported interviews with relevant Ministry officials in Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Uruguay who are involved in long-term adaptation planning and implementation. This work culminated in a virtual workshop during which country representatives from 12 different countries across LAC came together to share best practices and approaches, identify common needs, and brainstorm key elements of regional climate response. My summer internship at World Resources Institute was an invaluable opportunity to develop subject-matter expertise and comprehensive research skills, while reinforcing my interest in the nexus of human well-being, economic development and the environment.