Estrategias de adaptación y mitigación al cambio climático desde la planificación territorial: caso de estudio cantón Loja

Abstract

Abstract: The objective of this research is to analyze and formulate adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate change in Loja Canton from a territorial planning approach, through the identification of impacts, the review of local instruments, and the formulation of guidelines that strengthen territorial resilience and sustainability. In Ecuador, specifically in Loja Canton, despite having current territorial planning instruments, climate-related impacts associated with intense rainfall, landslides, and the progressive increase in average annual temperature have intensified, causing recurrent damage to infrastructure, services, and the population, particularly in areas with higher levels of vulnerability. Likewise, this study was developed using a mixed and applied approach and is structured into three phases: first, a territorial diagnosis based on climatic, biophysical, and socioeconomic variables; second, an evaluation of the incorporation of the climate approach into existing planning instruments, specifically the Development and Territorial Planning Plan and the Land Use and Management Plan; and finally, the formulation of strategic guidelines oriented toward environmental management,adaptive territorial planning, and institutional strengthening. The results show that the canton s climate vulnerability is mainly concentrated in rural parishes and hillside areas, which are associated with the loss of vegetation cover, pressure on micro-watersheds, and gaps in infrastructure and basic services. Another identified limitation is the effective integration of climate change into local planning. As a main contribution, the study proposes a set of operational and territorially prioritized guidelines that can support local government decision making and contribute to more coherent, preventive, and sustainable planning in the face of climate change.