Defining climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction policy integration: Evidence and recommendations from Zambia

Abstract

Due to the common objectives and similarities of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), their policy level integration has been gaining increasing attention. However, concise DRR and CCA definitions for policy integrate are yet to be provided. Drawing from the Environmental Policy Integration, this paper suggests definitions for the integration of CCA policy into DRR policy, further addressing the importance of its horizontal (inter-ministerial) and vertical (intra-ministerial) dimensions. The definitions were empirically examined in Zambia during the formulation and implementation of the DRR and CCA policies (at the horizontal dimension), and water management, agriculture and forestry policies (at the vertical dimension). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document review, and analysed within a policy integration cycle. Zambia is a good example of the increased understanding of the linkages of the two fields, and the role of governance in progressing the integration. Governance challenges and the historical burden have resulted in overlapping policy processes, as both policies incorporate the other field, and creates a threat of parallel national-level structures, thereby increasing potential inefficiencies in governance and policy implementation. The importance of developing a horizontal integration strategy prior to policy formulation processes to avoid the potential of inefficiencies became evident.