Implementing Climate Change Adaptation Research Articles

A Spatio-Temporal Analysis of the Frequency of Droughts in Mexico’s Forest Ecosystems

Droughts can affect forest ecosystems and lead to soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and desertification. Not all regions of Mexico are affected in the same way, as some areas are naturally more prone to drought due to their geographical location. Therefore, the objective of this work was to carry out a spatio-temporal analysis of the occurrence of droughts (severe and extreme) in Mexican forest systems, covering the period 2000–2021, and to study the area covered by these events in Mexican forest systems. This analysis was divided into three stages: the classification of land use and vegetation, spatial mapping and the classification of drought intensity, and an analysis of drought frequency and probability in forest systems. The results show that more than 46% of Mexico’s forest area experienced severe and extreme droughts during the 21-year period studied. Broadleaved forests were most affected by severe and extreme droughts, with a frequency of 6 years. The increasing frequency of droughts poses a major challenge to the resilience of forest ecosystems in Mexico, highlighting the need to implement climate change adaptation and forest management measures to protect the country’s biodiversity and natural resources.

Podnebne projekcije temperature zraka in padavin za porečja Ledave, Pesnice in Vipave do konca 21. stoletja

As part of the project ‚CeVoTak‘, Integrated Management of Small Water Retention and Soil Erosion Prevention Measures in Agricultural Catchments, we studied changing temperature and precipitation conditions up to the year 2100. The study was conducted on agricultural lands in the catchments of the Ledava and Pesnica rivers in the sub-Pannonian region and the Vipava river in the sub-Mediterranean region. A common climate database was used to create the climate projections - RCM (Regional Climate Model) simulations from the project EURO-CORDEX and scenarios RCP (Representative Concentration Pathway), RCP2.6, 4.5 and 8.5. The projections were prepared for three time periods 2011-2040; 2041-2070 and 2071-2100 for 6 different regional climate models for average, minimum and maximum air temperatures and precipitation. Analysis of the ensemble of model simulations for all scenarios shows similar results for the basin of all rivers, an increase in temperature (maximum in winter, minimum in spring), with high confidence for all scenarios and periods. Projections of precipitation are less reliable, but show an increase in annual precipitation due to the winter increase. The use of climate change projections with expert interpretation is essential for determining the vulnerability of individual areas and building resilience through the implementation of climate change adaptation.

Climate Change Adaptation Strategies and Its Impact on Household Vulnerability to Food Insecurity: A Micro-Level Evidence from Southwest Ethiopia

Smallholder farmers in Ethiopia face increasing challenges from climate change and variability, which threaten their food security and livelihoods. This study examines how adopting single and combined climate change adaptation practices affects their vulnerability to food insecurity in Bench Maji Zone, southwest Ethiopia. Through multistage sampling, data were gathered from 390 rural households in four climate-prone districts. The study examines the impacts resulting from both individual and combined implementations of adaptation techniques. These techniques encompass crop management practices, soil and water conservation measures, and livelihood portfolio diversification strategies. The study employed the multinomial endogenous treatment effect regression model to address selection bias and endogeneity resulting from various sources of heterogeneity, whether observed or unobserved. The results show that farmers who adopted adaptation practices were less vulnerable to food insecurity than those who did not. The study also finds that adopting multiple practices has a more significant impact than adopting single practices. Our findings suggest that implementing climate change adaptation strategies can increase the resilience of smallholder farmers in the study area and decrease their vulnerability to food insecurity. The study recommends supporting farmers in adopting these strategies through research and development, information dissemination, and collaborations among farmers, researchers, and extension services.

Measuring climate vulnerability of tourism-dependent livelihoods: The case of Lamgtang National Park

Climate change poses significant challenges to tourism-dependent communities in mountain regions, threatening their livelihoods and well-being. However, there is a lack of comprehensive assessments that consider the multidimensional nature of vulnerability and the specific socio-cultural contexts of these communities. This study assesses the livelihood vulnerability of tourism-dependent communities in Lamtang National Park exposed to climate change using the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) and the Livelihood Vulnerability Index -Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (LVI-IPCC) framework. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including household surveys (n=119), vulnerability index calculations, and analysis of weather data. The purposive stratified sampling based on ecological gradient and proximity to trekking trails ensured the representativeness of the sample. One hundred nineteen households were surveyed, with respondents from the Hill Janajati ethnic group. Results showed that the majority of households (63%) were tourism-dominant, followed by agriculture-dominant (17%) and mixed livelihood (13%). The LVI results revealed a moderate vulnerability (0.365), with financial and natural capitals being the most vulnerable. The LVI-IPCC analysis showed that the community's adaptive capacity (0.537) is slightly lower than its exposure (0.564), and sensitivity is comparatively low (0.296), resulting in a low LVI-IPCC index (0.01). Weather data analysis, including the Mann-Kendall trend test, Sen's slope analysis, and multi-model ensemble projections, indicated increasing precipitation trends and a warmer, wetter future for the region. The triangulation of LVI, LVI-IPCC, forecast data, and weather station data strengthens the findings and highlights the need for targeted interventions. The projected changes in temperature and precipitation patterns for Rasuwa district and vulnerability status of tourism-dependent communities highlight the urgency of implementing climate change adaptation measures, which may include diversifying livelihoods, improving access to education and training, strengthening social support systems, and promoting sustainable land and water management practices.

Determining factors and barriers to the uptake of climate change adaptation strategies of agriculture and aquaculture farm households in Myanmar

PurposeClimate change is an undeniable reality that threatens people’s livelihoods. Flooding and saltwater intrusion, along with the rising sea levels, are affecting agricultural and aquaculture livelihoods in Myanmar’s coastal areas. Although climate change adaptation is gaining popularity as a resilience strategy to cope with the negative effects of climate change, both agriculture- and aquaculture-farmers are more often deterred from implementing climate change adaptation strategies due to practical availability and socioeconomic barriers to adaptation. This study aims to evaluate the barriers and factors that influence farm household’ choice of climate change adaptation measures.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted with 599 farm households (484 rice-farmers and 115 fish farmers) based in the coastal areas of Myanmar during 2021–2022 to explore the farmer’s choice of climate change adaptation measures and the determining factors. The multinomial logit regression (MLR) model was used to examine the factors influencing the farmers’ choice of climate change adaptation strategies.FindingsThe study found out that farm households use a variety of adaptation methods at the farm level, with building embankment strategy (23.4%) in agriculture and net-fencing measure (33.9%) in fish farming being the most popular adaptation strategies. Farmers’ decisions to adopt climate change adaptation strategies are influenced by factors such as distance to market, education level of the household head, remittance income and the availability of early warning information, among others. The study also discovered that COVID-19 has had an impact on the employment opportunities of household members and the income from farming as well had a consequential effect on the adoption of climate change adaptation measures. Furthermore, lack of credit (42.4%), labor shortage (52.8%), pest and disease infestation (58.9%), high input costs (81%) and lower agricultural product prices (73%) were identified as major barriers to the adoption of climate change adaptation measures by both agriculture and aquaculture farm households.Originality/valueThis study demonstrates that the COVID-19 pandemic and farm-level barriers are the major factors influencing farm households’ choice of climate change adaptation measures, and that removing practical farm-level barriers and encouraging the adoption of adaptation techniques as potential COVID-19 recovery actions are required. This study also highlighted that the adaptive capacity of agriculture and aquaculture farm households should be strengthened through formal and informal training programs, awareness raising, the exchange of early warning information and the development of proper credit scheme programs.

Effect of meteorological factors on the incidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in Japan: a time series analysis.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is a major cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections and respiratory tract disease in humans. While accumulated pieces of epidemiological evidence suggest an association between meteorological factors and the risk of M. pneumoniae pneumonia, comprehensive nationwide studies on this topic are lacking. We aimed to systematically assess the effect of meteorological factors such as mean temperature and relative humidity on the incidence of M. pneumoniae pneumonia in Japan over a 15-year period from 2005 to 2019. The exposure - response relationships between incidence of M. pneumoniae pneumonia, mean temperature, and relative humidity in all 47 Japanese prefectures (covering whole country) for 2005 - 2019 were quantified by using a distributed lag non-linear model for each prefecture and the estimates from all the prefectures were then pooled using a multivariate mete-regression model to derive nationwide average associations. The study encompassed a total of 162,845 M. pneumoniae pneumonia cases. Our findings indicate that seasonal variations in weekly mean temperature and relative humidity were positively associated with the incidence of M. pneumoniae pneumonia. Specifically, when considering - 1.3°C as the reference, the relative risk (RR) peaked at 16.8°C (with RRs of 1.50, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.32-1.70). Similarly, when using 45.5% relative humidity as the reference, the RR reached its peak at 87.7% (with RRs of 1.49, 95% CI: 1.33-1.67). These results emphasize the necessity of implementing climate change adaptation strategies and public health interventions in regions vulnerable to M. pneumoniae pneumonia.

The Impact of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies on Food Security: A Global Perspective

Climate change poses a serious threat to the agricultural sector due to its nature of being dependent on natural conditions. As a result, food productivity decreases by threatening global food security. This study aims to analyze the impact of climate change adaptation adopted by farmers on food security by providing impressions and perspectives from related studies. According previous studies, the variables of gender, education, family size, land size, livestock ownership, agricultural extension, access to credit, and climate information are factors that have a positive influence on farmers' decisions to adopt climate change strategies. Meanwhile, the age variable has a negative influence on farmers' decisions to adpot it. In addition, the results also show that the adaptation of climate change strategies has a significant impact on food security. Farmers will gain more benefits and beneficial impacts from implementing climate change adaptation that limits the negative impacts of climate change on household livelihoods in an effort to alleviate food insecurity. This study provides important insights for future research on developing climate-resilient approaches to address complex global food system challenges.

Vulnerability and adaptation of maize smallholder farmers to climate change: a Sub-Saharan African context

This study analyzed smallholder maize farmers' perceptions of climate change vulnerability and adaptation strategies in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The study used a cross-sectional quantitative approach, with smallholder farmers selected based on farm size (less than 10 hectares). Using simple random sampling techniques, 210 smallholder farmers in South Kivu Province was selected from October and November 2021. The data were analyzed using frequency analysis, non-parametric Mann–Whitney U-tests, Tobit regression model and structural equations modeling, which demonstrated that demographic and socioeconomic factors influenced smallholder farmers' perceptions and adaptation strategies to climate change. The findings revealed that the level of education, size of the field, and activities of smallholder farmers had significant effects on climate change perception and adaptation strategies. Smallholder farmers' perceptions had a negative (p < 1%) influence on maize smallholder farmers' adaptation to climate change. Common efforts should be made to encourage smallholder farmers to feel committed enough to implement climate change adaptation measures that are effective in mitigating or preventing climate change risk. The results of this study would have implications for policies to support maize smallholder farmers in their efforts to mitigate and resilient to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa. Firstly, the promotion of climate literacy must be sufficient to provide farmers with information on climate and forecasting. Secondly, to empower smallholder farmers with means and resources to prevent and reduce the effects of climate change. Lastly, enhancing the current environment for the agriculture sector will advance community inclusivity and food security.

Implementing climate change adaptation through mainstreaming at the local level—a comparative case study of two municipalities in the Netherlands

Governments face increasing urgency to adapt to climate change. However, there is a persistent gap between needed and implemented adaptation. The implementation of adaptation often takes place at the local level, making municipalities crucial actors, particularly regarding mainstreaming adaptation into various sectors. While mainstreaming has the potential to bring many benefits, it does not necessarily result in the implementation of adaptation. Its contribution to the adaptation process over time and the resulting implementation at the local level remain poorly understood, exacerbating the adaptation implementation gap. To advance the understanding of mainstreaming for implementation, we synthesize the emerging debates on adaptation mainstreaming with the literature on environmental policy integration and offer a framework towards a nuanced conceptualization of mainstreaming. Our results from a case study of two Dutch municipalities show that managerial actions precede the acceleration of implementation in the built environment and point to a learning curve. Furthermore, mainstreaming focuses on the water sector, built environment and green infrastructure, with little attention paid to the intersection of heat stress and drought with other sectors, while differences in the implementation of adaptation in the two cases hint at the influence of the local context. We conclude that there is no blueprint to implement adaptation, and while local preferences determine the sectors where integration and implementation occur, consideration of long-term future climate change is lacking in both cities’ mainstreaming of adaptation implementation. Our framework allowed identifying the potential and pitfalls of mainstreaming adaptation towards implementation at the local level.

Role of Governance in Implementing Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in the Congo Basin Case of Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo

The low adaptability capacity of the Central African sub-region to climate change has made it one of Africans’ most vulnerable sub-regions in the continent as this sub-region depends heavily on resources sensitive to climate change. Cameroon and the Democratic Republic Congo are host to the world's second largest rainforest after the Amazon. This implies that climate change will undermine development in this sub-region and the rest of the continent as the effects of climate change are faced more by the most vulnerable. There is however rising interest in SSA to mitigate and adapt climate change solutions. While such efforts exist, knowledge on the governance arrangements exist in very fragmented forms. Specifically, knowledge on how global climate changes processes is reflected in national policies remain relatively less studied. So too are their limited evidence on how national policies play out at local level. Such knowledge deficits stall scientific evidence building and policy orientation to strengthen climate adaptation practices in countries of SSA, with Cameroon and DRC being classical examples. Yet theory building on climate change governance requires such context specific evidence. In addition, for a comprehensive policy to be adopted and made effective, climate change actions require such scientific evidence. This therefore validates the need to analyze how such global processes are framed into national policy and policy instruments for climate mitigation and adaptation, and to establish the connections and disconnections between what is framed at national level and what applies at local level in terms of climate change policy instrument and what explains such variations. Though effective climate action requires political commitment, well-aligned multi-level governance and institutional frameworks, laws, policies and strategies, as outlined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), there is still need for clear goals, adequate finance and financing tools, coordination across multiple policy domains, and inclusive governance processes in Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo to harness these goals. This study investigated the role of governance in implementing climate change adaptation in Cameroon and the DRC. This research therefore aimed at examining the role of governance in implementing climate change adaptation strategies in Cameroon and the DRC. The study made use of primary and secondary data which was analyzed using content analysis to triangulate the relationship that exist between governance and the implementation of climate change adaptation strategies in Cameroon and the DRC. Results highlight the dominant role of governance in shaping adaptation efforts, challenges in implementation, spatial disparities, and the influence of national policies and stakeholder engagement. Policy recommendations emphasize the need for improving governance structures, enhancing stakeholder participation, mainstreaming gender considerations, and addressing financial constraints to build resilience and effectively respond to climate change impacts in both countries. The findings underscore the importance of context-specific strategies that prioritize inclusivity, transparency, and collaboration to address the complex challenges posed by climate change.

Augmented human thermal discomfort in urban centers of the Arabian Peninsula

Anthropogenic climate change has amplified human thermal discomfort in urban environments. Despite the considerable risks posed to public health, there is a lack of comprehensive research, evaluating the spatiotemporal changes in human thermal discomfort and its characteristics in hot-hyper arid regions, such as the Arabian Peninsula (AP). The current study analyzes spatiotemporal changes in human thermal discomfort categories and their characteristics in AP, using the newly developed high-resolution gridded ERA5-HEAT (Human thErmAl comforT) dataset for the period 1979–2022. In addition, the study assesses the interplay between the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices for the study period. The results reveal a significant increase in human thermal discomfort and its characteristics, with higher spatial variability in the AP region. The major urban centers in the southwestern, central, and southeastern parts of AP have experienced significant increases in human thermal discomfort (0.4–0.8 °C), with higher frequency and intensity of thermal stress during the study period. The temporal distribution demonstrates a linear increase in UTCI indices and their frequencies and intensities, particularly from 1998 onward, signifying a transition towards a hotter climate characterized by frequent, intense, and prolonged heat stress conditions. Moreover, the UTCI and ENSO indices exhibit a dipole pattern of correlation with a positive (negative) pattern in the southwestern (eastern parts) of AP. The study’s findings suggest that policymakers and urban planners need to prioritize public health and well-being in AP’s urban areas, especially for vulnerable groups, by implementing climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, and carefully designing future cities to mitigate the effects of heat stress.

The adaptation to climate change of Bromo horticultural farmer to support the environmental and economic dimensions on sustainable agriculture

Climate change is a challenge for all humankind, generally caused by the El Nino and La Nina phenomenon. The impact of climate change affects production and income of people who depend on the agricultural sector, one of which is the horticulture sub-sector. This research aims to analyze forms of adaptation to climate change, support for adaptation to ecological/environmental and economic dimensions, as well as factors are taken into consideration by farmers in adapting to climate change. The research was conducted in the Bromo area, Probolinggo Regency, East Java Province, Indonesia. The data analysis used is descriptive analysis, difference test analysis, and logit analysis. The results show that there are 13 forms of climate change adaptation performed by horticultural farmers. Adaptation to climate change is proven to support the ecological/environmental and economic dimensions in realizing sustainable agriculture. Farmers with a high level of adaptation to climate change have higher productivity, income per hectare and cost efficiency than farmers with a low level of adaptation. Factors that influence the decision making of horticultural farmers to implement climate change adaptation include education, number of family, and land area of horticulture.

EDUCATION IN THE FIELD OF CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Every year, the problem of globalisation of environmental challenges is becoming more and more noticeable, with climate change taking priority place among them. The lack of a sufficient number of climate-related disciplines in Ukrainian educational institutions limits the number of environmental experts who will be able to effectively implement climate change adaptation measures and implement the world's best practices in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through decarbonisation of energy, implementation of energy-saving equipment and transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. It has been determined that in recent decades the number of scientific publications focused on the development of educational processes in the context of climate change has increased rapidly. It has been found that the main directions of implementing climate education in educational institutions are to provide quality school education to rethink the priorities of an environmentally friendly lifestyle and to form highly qualified specialists at universities who will be able to implement climate change adaptation projects in various sectors of the economy after obtaining a quality and holistic education at universities.

Assessing the Nexus between Climate Change and Public Health in Nepal: A Comprehensive Exploration of Impacts, Vulnerabilities, and Adaptive Strategies

Climate change and variability exert a global influence, affecting individuals and regions across the world. However, its impact is particularly pronounced in specific geographical areas and their inhabitants. Nepal, a globally recognized mountainous country, encompasses 18 percent of the world's mountainous terrain and spans 4.3 million km2 across eight Asian countries: Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar, and Pakistan. These Asian regions are experiencing a warming trend that surpasses the global average, accompanied by a significant increase in precipitation over the past six decades, leading to heightened frequency and intensity of specific extreme events. The alterations in temperature and precipitation have already impacted and are expected to continue affecting various climate-dependent sectors such as hydrology, agriculture, biodiversity, and human health. This paper aims to document the historical and anticipated impacts of climate change on the health and well-being of Nepal's population, providing adaptation and mitigation strategies to alleviate these effects. Additionally, the study assesses the indirect impact of agriculture and other human-related issues on human health and well-being. Utilizing narrative review processes, the research concludes the outlined issues. In Nepal, climate change contributes to complex challenges, resulting in the proliferation of infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), malnutrition, and injuries, as evident from this review. Consequently, the prompt implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures is imperative to protect the vulnerable populations residing in the country.

Location Analysis of The Best Climate Village in Paser Regency Using Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Situation (TOPSIS)

Since the enactment of the National Registration System (SRN) of the Directorate General of Climate Change Control based on the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia Number 71 of 2017 where SRN is a forum to manage and provide web-based data and information in the form of actions and resources in the implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation actions in Indonesia. Until 2023, there are 16 climate village locations in Paser Regency that have been reported to SRN with various levels of achievement according to the conditions of action that have been carried out by each climate village location. The purpose of this study is to analyze the best location of climate villages as reference locations in efforts to adapt and mitigate climate change in Paser Regency. The method used is TOPSIS, which calculates the highest value to the lowest of the closing results. From the results of the analysis, it was found that the best location of the climate village in Paser Regency that can be recommended as a reference location for ProKlim development is Muser Village, Muara Samu District, Paser Regency.

Review of climate change adaptation and mitigation implementation in Canada's forest ecosystems part I: Reporting, science, and institutional/governance supporting practices in Canada

Canada is recognized as a global leader in sustainable forest management. Canadian forests and the forest sector remain vital pillars of the Canadian economy and home to many rural and remote communities. However, climate change is an existential threat to the sustainability of forests and forest-dependent communities. While both direct and indirect threats posed by climate change to Canada's forest sector are now well understood, our understanding of specific forest practices that have emerged from the body of science to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts is not well documented. Through a review of the scientific and grey literature, this study expands our knowledge and operational gaps associated with implementing climate change adaptation and mitigation practices in Canadian forests. The study found a dearth of literature specifically dedicated to reporting on the type of forest practices currently in use across Canada to address mitigation and adaptation. Most reports or studies were published in 2019 or later, with federal and provincial governments being the dominant actors in reporting and monitoring, research, and funding. Across the 15 terrestrial ecozones in Canada, forest practices linked to climate change were reported in 12 ecozones, with most practices reported in the Montane Cordillera located in western Canada. Common forest practices reported include fuel management, assisted migration, enhanced silvicultural activities, and carbon offset projects. We conclude that climate change adaptation/mitigation practices in Canada are in their early stages of implementation. Many practices remain in experimental stages (e.g., genetic trials) or are implemented at a relatively small scale in Canada (e.g., climate-based seed transfer and carbon reserves). The literature suggests that the most mainstream practices associated with climate change mitigation in Canada include tree planting for carbon sequestration and the designation of protected areas to enhance ecosystem resilience. We conclude that despite increasing reports linking climate change benefits with reported forest practices, the reporting in the scientific literature is scarce, poorly reported, and often not grounded in credible evidence.

COFFEE PRODUCTION AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN MALAYSIA

Coffee planters face competition with other cash crops and higher production costs. Besides that, the biggest issue in this sector is the labour required to select ripe coffee beans since not all beans in a single stalk of coffee mature simultaneously. Nonetheless, this well-known beverage is facing a sustainability dilemma. This paper uses previous studies on coffee production and sustainability in Malaysia. A continuous drop in global coffee prices has squeezed coffee growers and pushed many of them below the worldwide severe poverty level. This document discusses research on sustainability in the coffee industry, including past study findings, and makes various recommendations. These obstacles must be solved to achieve sustainable coffee production. All types of literature (including grey literature) were searched exploratively by including those published in the past ten years from 2011 to January 2022 and in the English language. The adoption of sustainable production practices is vital for ecosystem and biodiversity protection, as well as assuring long-term supply availability of coffee production in Malaysia. Implementing sustainability in the coffee certificate in Malaysia's coffee production system appears to be the most appropriate approach to addressing these challenges because it can synergise increasing productivity and farmers' income, implementing climate change adaptation and mitigation, and increasing farmer capability and credit access. The originality of this study is its reviews of how to sustain the coffee production in the Malaysian agriculture sector.

The role of climate change awareness for trust in institutions in sub-Saharan Africa

Within the context of climate change in sub-Saharan Africa, trust in institutions is an important prerequisite to implement climate change adaptation and mitigation policies. There is a lack of systematic investigation of the relationship between climate change awareness, conflicts, and trust in institutions. We address this pressing research gap based on a regression analysis with trust in institutions as dependent variables, and climate change awareness and violence as independent variables drawing on Afrobarometer individual data and aggregated data on armed conflicts. Our main findings indicate that trust in institutions in sub-Saharan Africa is influenced by both the individual climate change awareness and the violence context. First, we find a negative relationship between those who are aware of climate change and trust in institutions. Second, we observe a socio-economic divide: young, urban and educated parts of the population as well as those who feel their ethnic group is treated unfairly do not trust institutions. Third, we see a regional divide: those far from political centres are not aware of climate change, and those close to the political centres do not trust institutions.

A Brave New World: Managing for Biodiversity Conservation under Ecosystem Transformation

Traditional conservation practices have primarily relied on maintaining biodiversity by preserving species and habitats in place. Many regions are experiencing unprecedented environmental conditions, shifts in species distribution and habitats, and high turnover in species composition, resulting in ecological transformation. Natural resource managers have lacked tools for identifying and selecting strategies to manage ecosystem transformation. A recently formalized decision support framework provides a way for managers to resist, accept, or direct (RAD) the trajectory of change. We begin by identifying how historical conservation practices are built into the RAD framework. Next, we describe how RAD can be used to implement climate change adaptation actions, using examples from the Mojave Desert to provide ecological context. Third, we discuss how the RAD framework can assist with the creation of conservation portfolios, facilitating the maintenance of overall biodiversity across a landscape. Preserving species assemblages in their current state, or restoring them to historical conditions, will not always be possible, and RAD allows for explicit deliberation about when and where to prioritize scarce resources. We conclude with a set of guidelines for conservation practitioners or managers moving forward. Although operating under an increasingly uncertain future is daunting, managers can utilize RAD to conserve biodiversity and effectively handle ecosystem transformation.

Active community for climate change: a Dynamic Performance Governance analysis of a biodiversity preservation program

PurposeThis study aims to illustrate how collaborative platforms may leverage active community for climate change adaptation to implement biodiversity preservation policies.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts the Dynamic Performance Governance methodological framework to analyze the causal relationships affecting biodiversity preservation policy outcomes.FindingsActive community reduces harmful factors for biodiversity (i.e. biological threats and anthropogenic pressure), limiting the risk of extinction of perennial plants. Stakeholders’ prior knowledge is an enabling condition of climate adaptation processes as it triggers the adoption of prescriptions and cultural changes in a community.Practical implicationsThe study provides methodological guidance to define measures to deliver material information to support environmental performance governance. It elaborates an inventory of short- and long-term performance indicators integrating natural-science targets into accounting measures that can support policymakers operating in other contexts to implement climate change adaptation policies.Social implicationsAs a response to the study findings, social implications provide insights into how active community in collaborative platforms for climate change may support stakeholders to address natural resources imbalances, define strategies to share the burden among them and intervene on multiple policy domains (e.g. financial, environmental and social).Originality/valueClimate change adaptation challenges are conceptualized as “super wicked problems,” and the collaborative platforms designed to address them are rendered as complex adaptive systems. This makes the paper go beyond traditional environmental governance, demonstrating that stakeholders’ interactions within collaborative platforms harness active community specialized knowledge.