2026 Reports

Community Participation and Planning Guides for Local Climate Action

Samur, Antonia; Miranda, Danilo; Navarrete, Gemita; Gárate, Javiera; Romero, Javier

Climate change is already generating significant negative impacts, and climate models show that—even under scenarios with strong reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—many impacts will continue to intensify over the coming decades due to climate system inertia.

In this context, adaptation and resilience are no longer optional: they are an essential responsibility. Communities and local governments are on the frontlines of climate risk, but often lack the technical, financial, and political resources needed to plan for and respond effectively and at the right time. Strengthening local capacities to analyze climate risks, create robust opportunities, integrate local knowledge and community perspectives, and embed
climate change into public policy, finance, monitoring, and evaluation is therefore a priority.

This document compiles eight methodological guides with practical tools to support local governments in planning. The guides focus on linking different forms of community participation (community workshops, interviews, surveys, etc.) with climate risk assessments and action prioritization, and on building a robust Local Climate Action Plan. Their purpose is to facilitate a planning process that is effective, transparent, and continuously improving, with a territorial focus and cross-sector integration. They are primarily intended for municipal planning teams and other territorial stakeholders involved in designing or implementing Local Climate Action Plans in Chile.

Each guide provides step-by-step instructions, sample materials, and simple monitoring tools, as well as recommendations for tailoring information and executing activities. They are not an exhaustive manual for all aspects of climate action or disaster risk management; rather, they focus on high-impact practices from the project’s experience working with municipalities in Alto del Carmen, Coquimbo, and San José de Maipo. The guides can be adapted to other territories and other planning processes, depending on local interests and needs.