CIENPINOS Project Promotes the Integration of Climate Criteria into Territorial Planning in Cienfuegos and Pinar del Río

• The workshops brought together local stakeholders from 17 municipalities to integrate climate change and biodiversity considerations into Municipal Development Strategies and Urban Land-Use Planning Plans.

Representatives from 17 municipalities across the Cuban provinces of Cienfuegos and Pinar del Río learned about the results of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and biodiversity studies during two provincial workshops aimed at strengthening territorial planning and integrating climate criteria into municipal management. The activities took place between late June and early July as part of the project Municipal Climate Governance and Sustainable Agroforestry Food Production with Low Emissions and Climate Change Adaptation in Cienfuegos and Pinar del Río, Cuba (CIENPINOS), implemented by CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) and the Indio Hatuey Experimental Station.

During the workshops, participants reviewed the findings of studies on GHG emissions resulting from land-use change and their relationship with biodiversity. They also analyzed mechanisms for incorporating this information into Municipal Development Strategies and Urban Land-Use Planning Plans. This participatory process made it possible to develop a methodological roadmap for integrating mitigation and conservation measures into territorial planning, while advancing a pilot action plan for the municipalities of Abreus and Cumanayagua.

The studies showed that the pilot municipalities—Abreus and Cumanayagua in Cienfuegos, and Viñales and La Palma in Pinar del Río—continue to maintain a net capacity for carbon sequestration. However, historical land-use changes have progressively reduced this potential. Based on satellite imagery and publicly available data dating back to 1994, the analyses identified carbon dioxide (CO₂) as the primary greenhouse gas associated with these agricultural production systems.

Dr. Tania Sánchez Santana, National Coordinator of the CIENPINOS Project, explained that although the studied territories continue to function as carbon sinks, land-use changes have diminished their carbon absorption capacity. Meanwhile, Dr. Dariel de León García, National Coordinator of the Climate Governance Component, noted that land-use change represents the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions after industrial activities, making the conservation of natural carbon sinks a priority for climate action.

Biodiversity and Sustainable Production

The workshops also demonstrated how integrating biodiversity and GHG emissions studies can generate practical recommendations for agricultural production. In Cienfuegos, researchers from the Indio Hatuey Experimental Station for Pastures and Forages presented the results of a botanical characterization of goat farms in the Southern Circuit of Cumanayagua, showing that greater forage species diversity can improve livestock nutrition while contributing to reduced enteric methane emissions.

In Pinar del Río, specialists shared progress on the use of oak forests as a feed source for Creole pigs, providing an alternative that expands sustainable production opportunities within the project's intervention areas.

In addition, discussions with representatives of local governments, management unit coordinators, and directors of Municipal University Centers demonstrated how the project's findings are already being incorporated into local development planning. Participants agreed that the information generated has strengthened the updating of Municipal Development Strategies (MDS), integrating the climate dimension into decision-making processes.

In Abreus, the studies enabled the incorporation of new environmental management tools into the Municipal Development Strategy, strengthening its institutionalization. In Cumanayagua, in addition to providing inputs for updating the territorial strategy, the project strengthened the scientific capacities of the Municipal University Center and supported the implementation of the Food and Nutritional Sovereignty Law.

In Pinar del Río, Lorenzo Morejón Pérez, Director of Local Development for Viñales, stated that "CIENPINOS has marked a before and after for the development of the people of Viñales." Likewise, Anay Pulgarón Ramos, Director of Local Development for Guane, emphasized the importance of adopting these tools to gain a better understanding of the resources available in each municipality.

The participatory development of a methodological roadmap enabled municipalities to assess the extent to which climate change has been integrated into their planning processes and to define actions for strengthening this dimension within their Municipal Development Strategies. The exercise showed that although significant progress has been made, challenges remain regarding public knowledge and capacity-building on climate change.

Among the main barriers identified by participants were the limited integration of climate considerations into some planning instruments and the need to strengthen the technical capacities of local communities. At the same time, municipal representatives highlighted the strong coordination capacity of local governments and the willingness of institutions and human resources to continue promoting training processes as key strengths.

Participants agreed that the CIENPINOS experience represents a model for collaboration among science, local governments, and communities to integrate climate action into territorial management. In addition to strengthening municipal planning, the project has generated significant social changes, including greater recognition of the role of women as agricultural producers and key actors in local development.

"CIENPINOS showed us a path forward, making it possible to take the university far beyond what we had imagined and into every community," said Norma Yadira Bravo Montano, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Cienfuegos.

The workshop was attended by Dr. Ismael Hernández Venereo, the project's International Coordinator at CATIE, who emphasized the value of these spaces in bringing scientific knowledge closer to municipal stakeholders and strengthening their decision-making capacities.

At the close of the workshops, Dr. Tania Sánchez Santana reaffirmed the commitment of the project and the Indio Hatuey Experimental Station for Pastures and Forages to continue supporting municipalities through training and technical assistance processes aimed at strengthening sustainability, climate resilience, and territorial management in Cienfuegos and Pinar del Río.