Z_GIS and GIZ: vulnerability assessment for climate change adaptation in Mauritania

Z_GIS finalized a spatially explicit vulnerability assessment for climate change adaptation in Mauritania; with the German Federal Enterprise for International Cooperation (GIZ) as a client. 

Although the living conditions in the Sahel are difficult and extremely dependent on weather conditions, especially in rural areas, adaptation to climate change is a key issue to address in the wider development context. To alleviate this issue, the German Federal Enterprise for International Cooperation (GIZ) initiated a project to assess how the capacity to adapt to climate change in rural areas can be improved.

The main objectives were to support key national actors in the design and implementation of adaptation measures identified within national planning processes and to strengthen intra- and inter-sectoral cooperation. In a joint consortium with adelphi from Germany, the Department of Geoinformatics – Z_GIS at the University of Salzburg carried out a spatially explicit vulnerability assessment to climate change for the two main livelihood sectors of Brakna and Assaba: agricultural and pastoralism activities.

The assessment integrated a variety of different spatial datasets and established vulnerability maps for present-day and future conditions. Based on a participatory approach, the assessment followed the recommendations of the ‘The Vulnerability Sourcebook’, a guidebook made by GIZ, which provides step-by-step guidelines to conduct vulnerability assessments (available online). The final results, comprising a substantial map collection and a report with the detailed recommendations on specific adaptation measures as well as its methodology appendix were officially presented on June, 22nd 2016 in Nouakchott, in front of the national and regional key stakeholders, especially from the Ministry of Environment.

Contact: Stefan Kienberger, Marion Borderon -  Research Group: Integrated Spatial Indicators (ISI), Z_GIS