The Climate and Resilience Hub, Willis Towers Watson (CRH) collaborated with iCare & Consult and Acclimatise to carry out a vulnerability assessment to identify climate change adaptation measures for the Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil. By analysing the sectoral, environmental, economic, and social dimensions of the city, a zonal Climate Vulnerability Index for Guayaquil helped identify the city’s main vulnerability indicators, using IPCC’s definitions of climate change vulnerability as a function of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity.

Out of 83 vulnerability indicators, a total of 39 indicators were selected through stakeholder consultation to inform three final components of climate vulnerability for Guayaquil (areas with high risk of flooding and landslides, and areas prone to the urban heat island effect)

Based on the diagnosis, the team proposed a set of ecosystem-based adaptation measures and grey/infrastructure measures to be included into Guayaquil’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan. Eventually, the Plan covered five action areas: water and sanitation, solid waste, air quality and climate change, ecosystem management, transport and energy.