Abbey Abramson

  Philippine local boss system and corruption The Local Boss System: Patronage, Gatekeepers, and Community Voices Why local political economy makes or breaks climate action Imagine a coastal town in the Philippines , where the sound of crashing waves is an integral part of its residents' daily lives. One season, torrential rains threaten to flood the town, and the local community anxiously awaits the construction of a protective dike. The decision on where to build the dike seems straightforward, but as the locals quickly learn, it is anything but. Dikes, drains, mangroves, waterworks, early-warning systems: these rise or fall in the arena of local power. Budgets may be approved in capitals, but who gets listed, which contractor is picked, where to site the work, and whose complaints are heard are decided in barangays, wards, gram panchayats, and municipalities. In many developing contexts, local politics is mediated by patronage and clientelist exchange : resources and favors flo...

  Non-negotiable checklist for climate projects What good looks like: A pledge of non-negotiables for climate-stressed assets Turn this checklist into a commitment by adopting one non-negotiable item in your upcoming projects. Empower yourself to make a tangible difference in ensuring infrastructure integrity and resilience. Design phase Future-proofed elevations: crest levels and outfall inverts set to future design storms/sea levels, with freeboard per code (IPCC, 2021; USACE, 2000). Complete sections: specify core material, filters, toe protection, and slope revetment sizing according to local flow/wave data (BC Riprap Guide; USACE). Redundancy: second power feed for pumps, spare capacity for one unit out of service, overflow bypasses. Procurement & supervision Open designs and BoQ: publish for scrutiny; prohibit "brand-locked" materials unless justified (see Chapter 4). For instance, in XYZ city, making BoQs publicly accessible led to an 18% reduction in change or...

  Operation and maintenance budgets for flood controls O&M Budgets: the new corruption frontier Well-built assets still fail without operation & maintenance. In drainage systems, annual desilting, trash rack cleaning, weed control, lubricant changes, and electrical checks keep systems alive. When O&M lines are neglected or never maintained, risk accumulates quietly until the first major storm. Global practice recognizes O&M as a distinct contract type (e.g., management/O&M/O&M PPP contracts), with specific deliverables and service-level agreements; however, many adaptation projects celebrate commissioning and overlook the decade that follows (World Bank PPP/O&M notes) (PPP Knowledge Lab). Corruption risks migrate into O&M in three ways: Chronic under-budgeting so emergency direct awards become the norm (see Chapter 4). Ghost maintenance: invoices for pump servicing with no actual work; dredging measured in paperwork, not in cubic meters removed. Co...

  Climate change adaptation project implementation gap The “implementation gap”: money on paper vs. safety in real life Adaptation finance needs are substantial and growing, estimated at approximately $127 billion per year by 2030 for developing countries, with further increases expected by mid-century. Yet when money flows, it doesn’t always bring resilience. Leakage at each stage builds up. Poor project selection leads to stranded assets; weak procurement raises prices; skimped materials shorten lifespans; and missing maintenance ensures failure. The result is an “implementation gap” felt in feet of floodwater, hours without power, and hectares of failed planting. Closing this gap requires not only more funding but also a collective commitment to integrity, transparency, and operational excellence at every stage—from project selection through to maintenance. Only through urgent and coordinated action can the benefits of adaptation finance translate into real-world resilience (Wo...