Laos is a landlocked nation with approximately 80% of its territory characterized by mountainous and densely forested terrain. However, urban areas in this country are increasingly vulnerable to flooding due to rapid urbanization, changing land use patterns, and climate impacts. Therefore strengthening urban flood resilience has become a national priority, particularly for major cities exposed to recurrent flood risks.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) initiated this project to support climate-resilient urban development in four key cities of Laos: Pakse, Paksan, Savannakhet, and Vientiane. Not just on city-level, the project also aims to establish a national framework of Urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) to guide flood risk reduction efforts across the country.

Spatial Decisions provides technical expertise in urban land use planning to support the development and integration of climate-resilient flood management strategies in the 4 target citites. The scope of work includes the preparation of a comprehensive framework and methodology, the development of land use plans for flood risk reduction, and formulation of city-level flood management strategies.

In parallel, Spatial Decisions supports the development and mainstreaming of national Urban EbA guidelines, working closely with government agencies through field missions, workshops, and validation processes.

The project delivers effective, climate-resilient flood management strategies that integrate land use planning and ecosystem-based approaches into urban decision-making. At the city level, the project strengthen flood risk reduction capacity is strengthened while supporting sustainable and resilient urban growth. At the national level, the Urban EbA guidelines provide a scalable framework to mainstream nature-based solutions into urban planning, infrastructure development, and policy-making.

Overall, the expected outcomes strengthen Laos capacity for urban flood risks management, ensuring safer and better living conditions across the country.