A community-led approach to climate resilience: The CS-MAP story

Climate change has impacted ecosystems around the world, with many communities already experiencing severe consequences. At the virtual summit of Resilience Hub on October 8, stakeholders from diverse backgrounds came together to drive forward resilience and adaptation strategies, elevating voices from the most vulnerable and climate-affected regions.

In the session, “Local Actions, Global Impact: Stories from LLA Initiatives,” Dr. Ahmad Salahuddin, scientist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Bangladesh, shared insights from the Climate-Smart Mapping and Adaptation Planning (CS-MAP) approach, highlighting its transformative potential. The session featured a video on CS-MAP showing how this innovative tool engages local communities in identifying climate risks and developing adaptive strategies to protect both ecosystems and livelihoods. By integrating geographic information systems, climate data, and community insights, CS-MAP creates tailored maps that reveal vulnerable areas, empowering local communities to proactively address climate threats and allocate resources effectively.

The CS-MAP approach, initially piloted in Vietnam in 2019 and later expanded to Cambodia and Bangladesh, underscores the value of local knowledge in building resilience. In Bangladesh, through the CGIAR Initiative on Asian Mege-Deltas, CS-MAP has been implemented in 10 coastal districts, where farmers and extension workers collaboratively map risk zones and design adaptation plans. This participatory approach ensures that local voices and needs drive climate action, making adaptation efforts both sustainable and inclusive. Dr. Salahuddin’s insights underscored how locally-led adaptation, as practiced through CS-MAP, is crucial for climate resilience and highlights the broader impact of such community-driven initiatives on global climate resilience efforts.

To learn more about the topic, you can watch the full session:

The Resilience Hub serves as a global platform that unites a diverse community to share knowledge, co-create solutions, and catalyze action regarding climate resilience. As the primary pavilion for climate resilience and adaptation at COP, the Hub intends to shape the conversation and agenda around resilience while prioritizing locally-informed and equitable solutions for both people and nature within the COP process.