INCORPORATING A SOCIAL COMPENSATION MODEL IN ENVIRONMENTAL ADAPTATION PROJECTS

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is supporting the construction of a coastal protection border in the District of Cartagena, Colombia. The project aims to increase coastal protection by building maritime hydraulic infrastructure that will adapt to rising sea levels by decreasing the risk of flooding. UNDP engaged a Capstone team to assist with executing the project’s social impact compensation model, one of the first developed as part of an environmental adaptation project, for beach vendors and fishermen who have been impacted by project construction. The team conducted interviews with beneficiaries of the program, UNDP staff, and Cartagena public officials to evaluate the project’s successes and opportunities for improvement. The team found that including a social scope in climate adaptation projects is beneficial for overall project success and can generate spillover effects in the community. As part of its final report, the team generated a methodological guide for implementing compensation models in future environmental adaptation projects.