The Lincoln Institute for Land Policy has awarded I2UD and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) a grant to study the impact of climate change on water use in El Alto, Bolivia. One of the highest-altitude cities, El Alto relies on glacial ice for its water supply. Due to warming temperatures, some glaciers have already disappeared and others will soon follow. How will this affect farmers in the surrounding areas and the city’s currently rapid rate of growth? Will the location and form of urbanization need to change dramatically under new water scarcity?
To answer these questions, I2UD is partnering with
SEI, an expert water modeling research institute based in Somerville, MA, to build a hydrology model for the city and test various scenarios for land use development and population growth. Through this research, we hope to help local agencies understand how the city can reorient itself to adapt to its new climate reality.
Learn more about the project
here
Photo courtesy of Seriykotik1970/Flickr
