Cities in Latin America and Adaptation

A Review of Policies to Address the Climate Crisis

Abstract

Objective – To identify the trends in scientific production regarding climate adaptation policies in urban environments in Latin America, also exploring the existence of plans that involve two or more countries from the same region, transcending borders.

Methodology – Systematic Literature Review, with searches in three scientific databases (Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science). After the filtering steps and application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 58 articles were analyzed, divided into 04 thematic groups.

Originality/Relevance – Given the urgent need for climate adaptation in Latin American cities, the study addresses the gap of multilevel approaches to adaptation policies, which tend to exist only at municipal, state, or national scales, failing to address issues that transcend borders.

Results – The results of this systematic review indicated a significant concentration of studies and scientific production focused mainly on diagnosis and planning, with few analyses of already implemented initiatives. Furthermore, a lack of integrated and multilevel approaches to climate adaptation among Latin American countries was noted.

Theoretical/Methodological Contributions – The research found the existence of rare studies and climate adaptation initiatives that transcend local and national borders, which may reflect how policies are created and discussed, pointing to an important research gap to be explored.

Social and Environmental Contributions – Among the study's results, it is highlighted that public participation is strategic for the creation of efficient adaptation policies. In this context, it is suggested that investments be made in public education on the topic, enabling more just and effective adaptation measures.