Uncertainty and the epistemic dimension of democratic deliberation in climate change adaptation

Abstract

Climate change adaptation is inherently local, contextual, and political, a problem distinct from the global collective action problem that is climate stabilization. Climate change vulnerability is a function not only of hydro-meteorological changes, specific geographic contexts, ecosystem integrity, and economic poverty, but also of the social and political institutions of a given local or regional context. The uncertainty, complexity, and inherent politics of climate change adaptation in particular places mean that adaptive institutions, if they are to be more than just disaster prediction and response mechanisms, must be flexible, dynamic and capable themselves of adapting quickly to changing environmental, economic, and social conditions. Certain approaches to adaptation have moved away from rigid orthodox development models. Nonetheless, they are often so general as to be impractical, or in effect comprise repackaged concepts and methods borrowed from climate change mitigation efforts and international development institutions. This study discusses the epistemic dimension of democracy at the level of international environmental institutions and at the level of local, contextually unique adaptation projects. Development and adaptation practices that involve democratic participation do so largely in accordance with norms of fairness and justice, which are unquestionably important. Attaching democracy exclusively to transcendent norms of justice, however, belies concrete possibilities for democratic approaches to climate adaptation. These possibilities reside in the epistemic dimension of democracy, a pragmatic notion developed. The account suggests that an epistemic democratic conceptual framework can inform adaptation institutions that are better able to cope with complexity and uncertainty, even ultimately directing these lessons towards the international sphere's institutional focus on mitigation.