Mainstream Adaptation Research Articles

Deciding climate change adaptation implementation at the local level – a tale of two cities in the Netherlands

The implementation of adaptation to climate change lags behind necessary adaptation. Implementation of adaptation often takes place at the local level, influenced by local factors and mechanisms producing mainstreamed or standalone adaptation outcomes. Because mainstreaming adaptation is seen as accelerating adaptation, understanding this process is crucial for expediting its implementation. The lack of insight into the influence of context on mainstreaming and its respective outcomes hinders the transfer of lessons between different contexts. To address this gap, we investigate the question “Why do municipal policy processes lead to either standalone or mainstreamed adaptation implementation decisions?” We apply the Multiple Streams Framework to explain local adaptation implementation decisions to compare adaptation in Enschede and Zwolle, two Dutch adaptation frontrunners. We conclude that issue-linking with locally salient issues facilitates adaptation mainstreaming in a case without problem urgency, whereas a focusing event leads to standalone adaptation implementation if crisis-framing is applied.

Evaluating the impacts of anticipated sea level rise, climate change and land use land cover scenarios on the rice crop in Alappuzha, Kerala and strategies to build climate responsive agriculture

PurposeThis paper aims to inform the readers an overview of expected impacts of sea level rise (SLR) and climate change on rice crops area, yield and the urgent need to build climate responsive infrastructures to a coastal district, Alappuzha – a high-risk area which is already under mean sea level (MSL). This research carried out to understand the realities and impacts with respect to the exposures of rise in SLR and possible inundation extent of crop land. The extreme precipitation events have caused crop loss and damage, numerous casualties and enormous economic loss in this district during the recent past and project the likely impacts under anticipated climate change.Design/methodology/approachGlobal sea levels have already been risen noticeably as a result of climate change, and this trend is anticipated to continue. To reflect on the research objectives, the paper projects a climate change scenario analysis and impact assessment on the major crop grown, i.e. rice, using a crop simulation model, DSSAT 4.7 as the first part of the study. QGIS 3.28 version and Erdas Imagine software were used for land use land cover analysis and to delineate possible inundation in the major land use land cover, especially in agriculture area under SLR scenario. It points out the need to equip the district urgently with climate responsive agriculture strategies as majority of the area comes under 10 mts of elevation as per the Sentinel 2 data. For better adapting to the current and future climate change impacts in the aspects of built environment such as early warnings in farm sector in particular and forests, urban water management, transportation systems, building construction and operation and land use planning in general. Climate change is no longer a policy issue alone; now it is a common man’s nightmare. For a coastal state like Kerala, extreme climate events during 2018 and 2019 and 2021 have posed substantial impacts and damages on the environment and society. The impacts hit the vulnerable communities in multiple ways.FindingsFrom the analysis, it was revealed that there is an increasing trend in rainfall observed over the past three decades in Alappuzha district. It is projected that day and night time temperatures may increase in Alappuzha by 2.5°C and 2.6°C by 2100, respectively, under RCP 4.5. With unchecked pollution or emission reduction actions, warming may further rise and hence the median projection when SLR reaches 2.4 meters (8 ft) at Alappuzha to Cochin coast is 2130s. The possible inundation analysis shows that around 53.48% of the coastal agriculture land may be likely inundated if SLR is only with mitigation measures such as extreme carbon cuts, SLR rise can be delayed till 2200. Alappuzha is known as the rice bowl of Kerala; however, it is highly exposed to climate vulnerability in terms of its unique environmental geographical settings like coastal wetlands, lagoons and sand beaches. DSSAT simulations shows that Uma rice, a major ruling variety in the region, may have yield reductions of up to 13% in the near century for Alappuzha.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper in general explains the projected climate change perspectives for Alappuzha, a climate change hotspot of Kerala with respect to SLR and coastal agriculture. and a review of the progression of DRR in the built environment and mainstreaming CCA and DRR by government and other agencies in the state.Practical implicationsThis study underscores the urgent need for climate-responsive agricultural strategies in Alappuzha, Kerala, due to anticipated sea level rise, climate change, and land use changes. Equipping farmers with the knowledge and tools to adapt is essential for ensuring food security and sustainable livelihoods. Implementing climate-resilient practices and technologies will help mitigate adverse effects on rice crops, promoting economic stability and resilience in the region. Involving local stakeholders in the adaptation process is crucial, as their participation can enhance collaboration, increase awareness, and accelerate the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, making the transition smoother and more effective.Social implicationsIt is the responsibility of the scientific community to inform the knowledge gained for the benefit of the society, especially on criticality of altering the existing land use pattern and building climate resilient coastal infrastructures. Studies such as this can stand as basis for implementing planned adaption actions. This is to conclude that instead of working in silos, mainstreaming climate change adaptation holistically across sectors is very necessary at this crucial hour. Participatory action plans and policies involving all local stakeholders can strengthen awareness and fasten the learning processes for adaptation including managed retreats.Originality/valueAt present, there are no specific studies, on the impacts of climate change and SLR on rice cropping systems in the district which specifically inform how to mainstream adaptation in the agriculture strategies in low lying coastal zones of Alappuzha.

Policy impact pathways of climate-related urban health vulnerability – A retrospective analysis

Climate change-related health risks are likely to become more prevalent in cities. Cities are also key actors in adaptation to these risks. Adaptation can take place through intentional measures to reduce vulnerability or exposure and unintentionally through other urban policy processes and outcomes. However, complex and dynamic relations between urban policy impacts and vulnerability development are an understudied phenomena. This limits the understanding of how urban climate-related health risks emerge and evolve. We examine urban policy pathways that influence vulnerability to climate-related health impacts with a most similar - most different case study. With a qualitative retrospective analysis of four urban areas in Finland we unveil the mechanism of how urban policy affects urban environment over time and how these impacts and changes shape vulnerability. Contrasting the most different cases, we show that urban policy impacts set differing preconditions to adaptation between local districts. We conclude by suggesting that to adapt to future challenges in cities with respect to social and ecological justice, it is necessary to mainstream adaptation into urban policies with continuous cross-sector and multi-level dialogue about the development of vulnerability.

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.

A Framework for Assessing Institutional Capacities for Climate Change Adaptation

Climate change is a worldwide profound phenomenon that is expected to continue, especially with ever-increasing GHG emissions. Developing countries are particularly exposed and vulnerable to cross-cutting climate change impacts, making them vulnerable. Such vulnerability is aggravated by their low adaptive capacity, due to high competition for financial and natural resources required for development efforts and their limited institutional capacities. Such institutional capacities are essential for developing and implementing successful adaptation strategies. Assessing such capacities is crucial for identifying opportunities for improvements, through the detection of weaknesses and strengths. This paper aims to propose an integrated framework for assessing institutional capacities for climate change adaptation. For this purpose, the paper begins by reviewing existing literature on institutional capacities approaches, followed by proposing an integrated framework for capacity assessment for climate change adaptation. The proposed framework is then validated in the case of Egypt, which is followed by a conclusion and recommendations. The proposed framework consists of three pillars: governance, mainstreaming adaptation, and capacity strengthening as well as their specific criteria and indicators. The suggested framework application on climate change institutions in Egypt suggested that, despite the existence of a formal institutional structure for climate change in Egypt, with limited capacities and financial resources. Additionally, it is not inclusive and has a low level of accountability and transparency.

Evaluating sectoral pathways and barriers in mainstreaming climate change adaptation

The mainstreaming of climate change adaptation is a key process that embeds adaptation in all sectors’ decision-making processes. In order to achieve successful adaptation, we need a socio-ecological transformation that is enabled by robust decision-making which prioritises adaptation. However, measuring the status of adaptation mainstreaming is quite challenging, and few studies have elucidated differences in adaptation mainstreaming among sectors; we therefore propose an assessment framework that does so. Three dimensions illustrating the pathways of adaptation mainstreaming are suggested: awareness, adaptation readiness and advanced implementation. We identify barriers, opportunities and differences among the three sectors of biodiversity conservation, forest management and water management in South Korea. Our results uncover different pathways to mainstreaming adaptation. Levels of awareness and readiness in relation to risk information, institutional arrangements and the active practical implementation of adaptation measures were found to be highest in the water management sector. In the biodiversity conservation sector, levels of active perception, preparation and implementation of adaptation measures in national sectoral policies were found to be relatively low. We also identify the most common barriers and required resources to mainstreaming adaptation and suggest priority entry points for each sector, including the abundant provision of sector-specific risk information and adoption guideline, awareness-raising on national climate change risk, improvements on organizational support, and reinforcing and the preparation of in-house monitoring and evaluation systems. Overall, this study offers insights into the measurement of adaptation mainstreaming by assessing pathways to successful adaptation. As assessing gaps and progress in adaptation is essential for the facilitation of transformational change, it is critical to examine long-term mainstreaming across diverse sectors.

Cross-platform hyperparameter optimization for machine learning interatomic potentials.

Machine-learning (ML)-based interatomic potentials are increasingly popular in material modeling, enabling highly accurate simulations with thousands and millions of atoms. However, the performance of machine-learned potentials depends strongly on the choice of hyperparameters-that is, of those parameters that are set before the model encounters data. This problem is particularly acute where hyperparameters have no intuitive physical interpretation and where the corresponding optimization space is large. Here, we describe an openly available Python package that facilitates hyperparameter optimization across different ML potential fitting frameworks. We discuss methodological aspects relating to the optimization itself and to the selection of validation data, and we show example applications. We expect this package to become part of a wider computational framework to speed up the mainstream adaptation of ML potentials in the physical sciences.

Does Climate Finance Support Institutional Adaptive Capacity in Caribbean Small Island and Developing States? An Analysis of the Green Climate Fund Readiness Grants

Adaptation is crucial for addressing current and future climate change challenges in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and climate finance instruments, such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) can play a key role in increasing their adaptive capacity and supporting the integration of adaptation into policy and programmes. Few studies have analysed the linkages between climate finance, adaptation mainstreaming, and institutional adaptive capacity; however, assessments of the impacts of climate finance on adaptation and adaptive capacity, particularly at the institutional level, are still limited. This research assesses how climate finance may promote institutional change through the mainstreaming of adaptation policies at the national level, and may contribute to more institutional adaptive capacity. Through reviewing the documentation of approved Green Climate Fund Readiness Preparatory Support Grants, and through semi-structured interviews focusing on three Caribbean SIDS (Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, and Haiti), this paper shows that the grants had a positive impact on several processes, though sometimes limited by the strength and role of the institutions in place. These results demonstrate that access to climate finance can create a window of opportunity for countries to accelerate institutional change and adaptation integration. However, further studies are needed to examine the complementary influence of the different climate finance flows (multilateral or bilateral), and their interplay with national institutional mechanisms.

Responding to Climate Change: Indigenous knowledge lessons from Nigerian root and tuber farmers

This study espoused lessons learnt from Indigenous root and tuber farmers’ responses to Climate Change in Nigeria. Situated Learning Theory and Participatory Phenomenology framed the study. Data were generated using focus group discussions, in-depth interview and participant observation. An inductive thematic analysis was applied on the data. The experience of Climate Change by the farmers has been change in rainfall pattern and other indicators were identified. The farmers respond to Climate Change using their Indigenous knowledge of water conservation by making mounds, maintain soil fertility by practising crop rotation, use compost made from household wastes and sustainable use of natural resources. The farmers’ preference for adapting to Climate Change using Indigenous knowledge was attributed to Indigenous knowledge being effective, easily accessible and inexpensive along with their apathy to scientific interventions. The study recommended possible ways of including the documented Indigenous knowledge into mainstream adaptation strategies and Agricultural Curriculum in Nigeria.

Urban Greening as a Response to Climate-Related Heat Risk: A Social–Geographical Review

With the increasing intensity, frequency and duration of heat waves, adaptation measures are becoming increasingly relevant and are moving up the agenda of decision-makers. In particular, urban areas require effective solutions due to the urban heat island effect and the increasing number of urban dwellers, including highly vulnerable social groups, such as people with low income or who lack access to public areas. However, despite there being strong agreement about the relevance of urban greening as an adaptation measure, there is still a limited understanding of where such measures should be implemented and for whom they are potentially accessible and beneficial. Through a systematic scoping review of the academic literature, this paper shows critical regional and methodological research gaps in mainstream adaptation research, including a bias towards Asian and European cities, and a lack of assessments of the socio-economic context and the accessibility of urban greening structures. Addressing the spatial issues of urban greening is of great importance for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, given the ongoing urbanisation trends and projected increase in heat risk.

Climate Change Adaption between Governance and Government—Collaborative Arrangements in the City of Munich

Growing cities face severe land use conflicts. Urban expansion and the densification of existing built areas are increasing the pressure on green spaces, which are key for climate change adaptation. Planning procedures embroiled in these land use conflicts are often complicated and slow. This is due to the increasing complexity in planning processes, which involve a multitude of stakeholders and decision-makers, whose responsibilities are not always entirely clear. Governance-oriented forms of decision making with horizontal structures are often required, but these also entail challenges. In our study, we ask how climate adaptation through urban green spaces can be integrated into planning processes. The study is based on a methodological combination, including document analysis and qualitative interviews with administrative staff. The City of Munich, a rapidly growing German city, serves as a case study. The results show different collaborative arrangements in four planning arenas and demonstrate how these structures support or hinder climate change adaptation mainstreaming. We conclude that hierarchical structures impede horizontal collaborative arrangements and shed lights on mechanisms reinforcing these structures. For large administrations, informal meetings and coordinating units are effective in fostering interdepartmental cooperation.

Digitalization of Personality Adaptations During COVID-19

Since the Millennium, there has been a growing interest in categorizing personality adaptations. Research by Nemeth and colleagues utilized a Year 2000 Questionnaire to analyze these adaptations. With the assistance of R. Landes, at the Boston University Center for Millennial Studies and SurveyMonkey, people throughout the world were able to respond. In general, thousands of people took advantage of this opportunity. Six factors emerged; they were as follows: (1) Psychotic leaders. (2) Dependent followers. (3) Religious fundamentalists. (4) Militants. (5) Aggressive actors (Paranoid thinkers). (6) Corporate sociopaths. Mainstream Adaptation is also possible. It was hypothesized that, at times of great upheaval, personality structures became exacerbated. The current research, which was based on a revised Year 2000 Questionnaire, was titled: the COVID-19 Questionnaire. An IRB exemption, from Advarra, was granted and SurveyMonkey was utilized. Data collection has been underway since June 17, 2021.

Mainstreaming climate adaptation into urban development projects in the Netherlands: private sector drivers and municipal policy instruments

ABSTRACT Improving the climate resilience of urban areas critically depends on the integration of climate adaptation measures, i.e. mainstreaming, into regular construction practices. As research has largely focused on public sector adaptation, the mainstreaming of adaptation into private sector projects remains poorly understood. The aims of this study are twofold. First, we examine what drives private developers and investors to mainstream adaptation into large-scale urban development projects. Second, we explore what policy instruments municipalities can employ to stimulate private sector mainstreaming. Our theoretical lens combines insights from the literature on mainstreaming, sustainable building drivers and policy instruments. These concepts are used to guide our analysis of four urban development projects and an interview study in the Netherlands, a densely populated delta country which is rather vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Our results show that private developers and investors seldom explicitly include adaptation measures into their development projects. An important impediment is the perceived absence of direct monetary benefits. If adaptation measures are implemented, they are often realized as a side-effect of creating a high-quality living environment or because private actors expect other professional benefits, such as corporate image enhancement or development of know-how. To stimulate private sector mainstreaming, Dutch municipalities already use a mix of policy instruments that might be a source of inspiration for other countries. Yet, especially the way in which enforcement and incentives are applied is not always effective. Key policy insights Despite the private sector’s growing awareness about the need for and importance of climate change adaptation in the Netherlands, adaptation is still seldom explicitly included in large-scale urban development projects. Municipalities should invest in policy instruments that target consumers. Communication, education and incentives can be used to raise consumer awareness and consequently demand for climate-adaptive properties. Municipalities should collaborate with the private sector to develop clear, uniform and feasible adaptation requirements. Municipalities should actively participate in urban development projects, i.e. co-developing with the private sector. This way, private sector drivers and policy instruments can strengthen each other to pave the way for future-proof and climate-resilient urban environments.

Mechanisms influencing mainstreaming of adaptation in spatial development: case studies in three Dutch municipalities

Despite adopting a mainstreaming approach to spatial adaptation, few cities actually implement it. Why this is so is disputed, as the implementation stage has been under-researched. Inspired by the “mechanism-based” strand, this paper analyses three implementation projects in the Netherlands. Mechanisms are generalizable patterns yielding more plausible explanations for phenomena than “superficial” barriers or drivers. We found one overarching mechanism: the “institutional void” – an absence of policy frameworks with clear norms and agreements on adaptation. It led to three hampering mechanisms (avoidance of administrative responsibility, aversion to innovation and avoidance of private responsibility) and three stimulating mechanisms (window of opportunity exploitation, efficient coupling and policy entrepreneurship). We demonstrate that, although hampering mechanisms constrain the solution space for mainstreaming adaptation, the stimulating mechanisms prove that room remains for committed actors to use the limited available space efficiently.

Does development assistance reduce climate vulnerability in developing countries? an empirical investigation

ABSTRACT Increasing climate vulnerability in developing countries impedes inclusive and sustainable development. The paper examines the linkages between official development assistance (ODA) and climate vulnerability while analysing the mediating role of adaptation readiness in 119 developing countries using a panel correlated standard error estimator. The study also investigates the relationship between ODA’s sectoral composition and climate vulnerability. The findings reveal that ODA is positively associated with climate vulnerability across all models and regions. However, ODA disbursement according to governance readiness criteria is associated with low vulnerability. The sectoral analysis reveals that the share of social infrastructure, humanitarian, and debt assistance is more in highly vulnerable countries. In contrast, these countries receive less aid specific to production, economic infrastructure, and multi-sector, and donors commit most climate-related ODA in these sectors. Overall, findings suggest a lack of adaptation mainstreaming into ODA disbursements. Furthermore, it calls for exploiting unexplored opportunities for vulnerability reduction through ODA in those sectors where the share of ODA is high in vulnerable countries.

The sixth major IPCC assessment report and its implications: 15 September 2021

The sixth major <scp>IPCC</scp> assessment report and its implications: 15 September 2021

Impact of Climate Change on Marginal and Small Farmers' Livelihood and their Adaptation Strategies-A Review

The objective of this paper has been to review the impact of climate change on the livelihoods of marginal (those cultivating less than one-hectare land) and small farmers (cultivating between 1 and 2 hectares land) and their coping and adaptation strategies enhancing their resilience to climate change. This paper reviewed literature including peer-reviewed papers, reports, and books related to climate change impacts on agriculture and livelihoods of marginal and small farmers in developing countries. The findings reveal that marginal and small farmers are vulnerable to climate change and variability, on account of their marginalized status, direct reliance on agriculture for their livelihoods, and inadequate resources and capacity to deal with adversities. The review found that climate change is negatively impacting livelihoods of marginal and small farmers by reducing crop and animal yields, crop failures, crop and animal diseases outbreak, livestock mortality, shortage of pasture and water for livestock all of which eventuates in reduced farm income, food insecurity and a downward spiral in social and economic indicators like health, education, and wellbeing. Although marginal and small farmers are using diverse coping and adaptation strategies some of which are climate-smart as well, they are constrained by several social, economic, and institutional factors which reveal the need for planned or policy-driven adaptation practices. The literature suggests mainstreaming adaptation into development planning and programs as the best option to help farmers in their adaptation practices and also to avoid working at cross-purposes but more judiciously use of resources.

Climate Change Adaptation and Sectoral Policy Coherence in the Caribbean

Climate change is an existential threat to small island developing states. Policy coherence aims to create synergies and avoid conflicts between policies. Mainstreaming adaptation across multiple sectors and achieving greater coherence amongst policies is needed. The paper applies qualitative document analysis, content analysis, and expert interviews to examine the degree of coherence between climate-sensitive sector policies in framing climate change adaptation and the adaptation goals outlined in the national development plan and national climate change policies in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), Grenada, and Saint Lucia. The results indicate that adaptation is not fully integrated into the water, agriculture, coastal zone, and forestry policies. For example, while adaptation was explicitly addressed in Saint Lucia’s water policy, it was not explicitly addressed in SVG’s and Grenada’s water policy. The results show that Saint Lucia has the highest coherence score (93.52) while St. Vincent and the Grenadines has the lowest (91.12). The optimal coherence score that can be possibly obtained is 147, which indicates partial coherence in adaptation mainstreaming in sectoral policies. Expert interviews highlighted problems such as institutional arrangements, a silo approach, funding mechanisms, and policy implementation. Using the knowledge provided by the experts, a seven-step process is proposed to practically achieve policy coherence and operationalize the policies.

Integrating adaptation to climate change in regional plans and programmes: The role of strategic environmental assessment

Climate changes exert negative impacts on the global environments and the human beings. They imply more frequent extreme weather events, which are responsible of sea level rise, coastal erosion, flooding, droughts, and desertification. Mitigation and adaptation represent intertwined strategies for counteracting climate changes. Mitigation is associated to the lessening of the causes of climate changes and includes actions reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Adaptation is a proactive concept addressing how humans can adapt and benefit from climate change. The mainstreaming and integration of adaptation to climate change into routine practice can be favored by Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of regional policies, plans and programmes. In this study, we aim at scrutinizing a set of SEA reports of regional plans and programmes adopted in Sardinia (Italy), to investigate if -and to what extent- adaptation to climate change has characterized planning and programming tools. Evidence shows that the integration of adaptation-driven issues into regional planning is still in its infancy but presents the signs of promising expansion.

Role clarification for local institutions: a missing link in multi-level adaptation planning? Insights from a multiple case study in Botswana

ABSTRACT The meaningful engagement of community-based actors in climate change adaptation planning is crucial for effective plans, but achieving it is an ongoing challenge, even with participatory methods. In this paper we explore very different approach, using shared-values crystallization as a pre-process to standard vulnerability risk assessments (VRAs), which recently reported significant impacts on plans produced. We posit this could be due to learning via changed local perceptions of roles, and we use multiple-case study work with five Village Development Committees (VDCs) in North East District, Botswana, and examine VRA outputs, and pre- and post-VRA interview transcripts, for evidence. Findings indicate that VDC members who took part in the shared-values pre-process significantly clarified and prioritized their general roles, and subsequently engaged more deeply in the planning process, taking more responsibility and ownership for the final adaptation plans. They related climate risks to their local lived-realities better, producing quality action plans, funding innovations and mainstreaming of adaptation into wider local plans, alongside an eagerness to present ideas to higher-governance levels. These findings suggest the shared-values pre-process could be immediately valuable for multilevel adaptation planning practices, and that the concept of role clarification deserves more specific consideration in academic studies on participation.