CIENPINOS promotes municipal climate governance with GHG workshops and advanced scientific training in statistical analysis

• The project combines science, technical training, and territorial planning, reinforcing evidence-based decision-making for sustainable development.

In a context where Cuban municipalities are seeking to strengthen their development strategies by undertaking climate change adaptation and mitigation processes, the CIENPINOS Project took a significant step forward by coordinating two key initiatives: a specialized workshop on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions studies in the municipalities of Viñales and La Palma, and a Course on Advanced Statistical Modeling and Data Analysis Workshop, taught by experts from CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center).

The workshop dedicated to the dissemination and understanding of GHG estimates associated with historical changes in land use was held in Pinar del Río with the active participation of local stakeholders, specialists, municipal authorities, and members of the CIENPINOS Project.

At the event, where the results of studies conducted by CIENPINOS under the standards of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2006) were presented, there was discussion on how to effectively integrate this scientific knowledge into territorial planning and Municipal Development Strategies (EDM), ensuring that climate mitigation measures are aligned with the real dynamics of the territory: forests, crops, pastures, wetlands, and settlements.

Participants exchanged experiences and expectations through participatory activities, reinforcing the role of the community and local governments in transforming the landscape and implementing sustainable policies. As part of the program, the audiovisual presentation “Greenhouse gas emissions caused by historical changes in land use” was screened. This is an educational tool based on the project's results that clearly explains carbon analysis processes in rural environments.

In addition, members of the project participated in a week-long course on advanced statistical modeling and data analysis, taught by Dr. Sergio José Vilchez Mendoza, a specialist at CATIE, and accompanied by Dr. Eduardo Somarriba, scientific coordinator at CIENPINOS.

The training introduced the basics of statistical programming and code design in R, an essential tool for rigorous data analysis and the publication of high-level scientific results. Participants developed skills in structuring databases, applying specialized statistical packages, and designing replicable scripts.

As a practical exercise, the preliminary results of the study on goat behavior in Cienfuegos were analyzed, which allowed for the validation of the proposed methodological design and strengthened the link between the data generated in the field and its advanced statistical analysis.

The workshop included the delivery of a digital bibliographic folder with specialized materials and a commitment to maintain technical collaboration between CIENPINOS and CATIE experts, ensuring methodological continuity in future project research.

Finally, on November 19, a new training course on forest regeneration and management began in Viñales, focused on strengthening local capacities in ecological restoration and sustainable landscape management. The training is being provided by professors from the School of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Marine Sciences, at the National University of Costa Rica.

These actions confirm the project's commitment to combining international-quality science with local public management, strengthening municipal capacities to address the challenges of climate change with sound diagnostics, modern tools, and community participation.

With this joint effort, CIENPINOS closes 2025 by reaffirming its commitment to evidence-based climate governance, continuous training, and the construction of resilient and sustainable territories in Cuba.