The REACHOUT series of interviews aim at collecting more personal views from colleagues developing and applying climate services for urban adaptation and resilient development, get more insight on the state of knowledge, the main ongoing discourse, and get a more concrete view of what their work encompasses. A sneak peek, so to say, behind the jargon and throbbing sentences used in policy documents and research proposals. Read our latest interview with Natalia Burgos Cuevas, Research Fellow at Ecologic Institute in Berlin interviewed by Simone Nardicchia, Representative of the Municipality of Milan.
People are often excluded from deciding their own futures, with governments taking on the role of decision-makers instead of enablers. – Natalia Burgos
Could you tell us a bit about your background and what led you to focus on climate adaptation? ‘I grew up in Colombia, where my studies in urban planning and political science sparked my interest in disaster risk management and understanding vulnerability. I became deeply curious about why some people or groups are more affected by disasters and what factors make them vulnerable.
This curiosity led me to explore ways to reduce vulnerability through disaster response and support strategies. Working with Bogotá’s Environment Agency introduced me to the complexities of climate adaptation and the need for long-term, systemic approaches to building resilience.
Motivated to deepen my knowledge, I pursued further studies at King’s College London, where I was inspired by professors emphasizing that risks are socially constructed, disasters are not purely natural, and vulnerability is rooted in power imbalances and inequality.
For over 12 years now, I have focused on developing and implementing climate adaptation strategies, particularly in urban areas, where the challenges are most interconnected and impactful.’
Climate adaptation often requires addressing complex, interconnected challenges. What do you see as the most significant barriers to implementing effective adaptation strategies in urban areas? ‘One key barrier, from my perspective, is the centralized and top-down approach to decision-making. Decisions are often made in offices without fully understanding what people on the ground need or how best to support them in building resilient livelihoods.
Another major challenge is the lack of meaningful participation in the decision-making and co-creation processes. This ties into a broader issue: people are often excluded from deciding their own futures, with governments taking on the role of decision-makers instead of enablers.
Finally, addressing vulnerability requires tackling its root causes, which include poverty, systemic inequality, classism and racism. Without addressing these foundational issues, building resilience becomes a challenge. Additionally, the difficulty of collaboration across sectors and the scarcity of resources further complicates the implementation of effective strategies.’
Initiatives like REACHOUT’s co-creation lounges are essential in facilitating collaboration and ensuring that technical solutions are accessible and relevant to all stakeholders. – Natalia Burgos
The REACHOUT project emphasizes participatory practices. From your perspective, what role does stakeholder engagement play in designing and implementing successful climate adaptation strategies? ‘Inclusive and diverse stakeholder engagement is, in my view, the key to successful adaptation strategies. Without it, it’s challenging to effectively support those most vulnerable to climate-related risks.
Projects like REACHOUT highlight the importance of involving not only municipalities but also local communities and civil society organizations. Such efforts must be built on trust, with enough time dedicated to fostering relationships and co-creating solutions. This sense of ownership among stakeholders is crucial, especially when delivering tools for decision-making.
Initiatives like REACHOUT’s co-creation lounges are essential in facilitating collaboration and ensuring that technical solutions are accessible and relevant to all stakeholders.’
REACHOUT brings together partners from different countries and disciplines. How has this collaboration enriched your work? ‘Diversity is crucial for achieving fair and equitable project outcomes. Collaborating with people from different backgrounds, disciplines, and roles has been invaluable in avoiding one-sided decision-making.
Working with diverse teams allows us to address a wide range of issues and learn from different perspectives. This diversity fosters flexibility and innovation, which are essential for finding solutions to the complex challenges we face today. Without diversity, it’s much harder to adapt to and tackle the multifaceted crises of our time.’
If you had to summarize the value of REACHOUT in one sentence, what would you say? ‘REACHOUT is an excellent blend of technical support for city administrations and innovative approaches to help cities integrate these solutions into their planning processes, foster collaboration within and across municipalities, and communicate scientific and technical insights to the wider public through initiatives like climate stories and co-creation lounges.
It also brings together a committed group of professionals who care deeply about the project’s outcomes, which I believe is critical to its success.’
Who would you like to speak to next? ‘I would like to hear from Barbara Tołłoczko-Suchańska from the City Hub Gdynia about her experiences with the co-creation lounge.’
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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036599.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036599.
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Short summary: A story about Jan and Maria during extreme precipitation.
Theme: Flooding
End user: Citizens