Mainstream Climate Change Adaptation Research Articles

Climate change adaptation through traditional Buffalo knowledge: learning reflection from the Blackfoot indigenous community

ABSTRACT This paper highlights the potential of Indigenous Buffalo knowledge as a valuable resource for adapting to the impacts of climate change. Buffalo, particularly in regions where they have been traditionally reared, have played a crucial role in Indigenous cultures and livelihoods. Indigenous communities have developed an intimate understanding of buffalo behaviour, ecological interactions, and their relationship with changing environmental conditions. This traditional Buffalo knowledge encompasses observations, practices, and Indigenous knowledge systems passed down through generations, providing insights into adaptive strategies that can be applied in the face of climate change. Following decolonial and relational theoretical frameworks, we used deep listening to learn how traditional Buffalo knowledge contributed to climate change adaptation strategies in Indigenous communities; how does integrating traditional Buffalo knowledge into climate change adaptation policies and practices contribute to the resilience of vulnerable communities? What challenges and opportunities are associated with incorporating traditional Buffalo knowledge into mainstream climate change adaptation efforts?

From absences to emergences: Foregrounding traditional and Indigenous climate change adaptation knowledges and practices from Fiji, Vietnam and the Philippines

The differential impacts of climate change have highlighted the need to implement fit-for-purpose interventions that are reflective of the needs of vulnerable communities. However, adaptation projects tend to favour technocratic, market-driven, and Eurocentric approaches that inadvertently disregard the place-based and contextual adaptation strategies of many communities in the Global South. The paper aims to decolonise climate change adaptation guided by the critical tenets of ‘Decolonising Climate Adaptation Scholarship’ (DCAS). It presents empirical case studies from Fiji, Vietnam, and the Philippines and reveals the different ways that Indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) and strategies are devalued and suppressed by modernist and developmentalist approaches to climate adaptation. The paper then foregrounds some of the adaptive techniques that resist and remain, or have been re-worked in hybrid ways with ILK. Ultimately, this paper combats the delegitimisation of ILK by mainstream climate change adaptation scholarship and highlights the need for awareness and openness to other forms of knowing and being.

Climate risk vulnerability assessment on the production of heirloom rice (Oryza sativa L.) and Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) in Mountain Province, Philippines

Climate change has brought negative and adverse impacts to agricultural production in the Cordillera Administrative Region, including two of the most important agricultural crops, namely, Arabica coffee and heirloom rice. This study was conducted to assess the climate risk vulnerability on the production of these two agricultural products in the municipalities of Mountain Province, Philippines. The climate risk vulnerability was assessed based on the three general and most widely used climate impact factors as recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), namely, exposure to hazard, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The results show, based on the combined indices estimated for each of the three general factors and expected changes in temperature and precipitation as projected by IPCC, that there is high climate risk vulnerability of the two crops in the municipalities particularly in areas where there is high potential exposure to hazards, low climate suitability of key crops in the future, and low adaptive capacity. Findings from the climate risk vulnerability analysis (CRVA) developed in the study demonstrate that it, as described in this paper, can serve as a meaningful reference to inform and guide decision-makers from concerned government agencies and the private sector in crafting policies and potential interventions in highly vulnerable areas whose climate risk vulnerability can be estimated and determined using CRVA. It is recommended that the CRVA described in this paper be made part of the tools and potential guides used by the Department of Agriculture to help mainstream climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Beyond maladaptation: structural barriers to successful adaptation

ABSTRACT Around the world adaptation projects are being implemented, with the hope of essentially climate proofing communities. While there is an abundance of failed adaptation schemes in developing and developed countries alike, there has been little scholarship on this problem. Through interviews with twenty-two climate change adaptation practitioners, we identify four structural challenges that contribute to maladaptation: the focus on technological fixes versus holistic approaches; the difficultly of distinguishing between adaptation and development; the problem of quantifying non-quantifiable variables; and the existence of competing problems given that failure to mainstream climate change adaptation. Addressing these maladaptation dynamics is necessary to enhance successful adaptation processes.

Global adaptation governance: how intergovernmental organizations mainstream climate change adaptation

ABSTRACT Climate change adaptation is increasingly being mainstreamed into all types of organizations across the world. A large number of intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), such as the European Union, the World Bank, or Food and Agriculture Organization, have already started to mainstream adaptation. Yet, despite a surge in scholarly interest in climate policy integration over the past decade, adaptation is still predominantly studied as a local issue and mainstreaming in IGOs remains poorly understood. In this article, we develop and test an innovative framework for examining adaptation mainstreaming practices in IGOs. Using quantitative and qualitative data derived from extensive fieldwork conducted between 2017 and 2020, we examine mainstreaming practices in a large number of IGOs and arrive at two key findings. First, adaptation has been mainstreamed within the procedures and outputs of IGOs across ten (nonclimate) issue areas, while there is also evidence of important issue-specific variation. Second, there is variation across mainstreaming practices in the sense that discursive mainstreaming is most common, whereas more concrete collaboration, policy change affecting projects and programs, and budget allocations are less common. We conclude with a discussion of how our framework can inform the theory and practice of global adaptation governance. Key Policy Insights IGOs have mainstreamed adaptation into a large array of issue areas, yet scholarly and practical debates remain siloed. Mainstreaming adaptation has advanced most in IGOs in the areas of food and development and least in the domain of migration and security. Discursive mainstreaming is more common than other types of adaptation mainstreaming in IGOs, regardless of the issue area. Global governance is a distinct setting in which powerful states, institutional complexity, and funding constraints strongly affect IGO practices to successfully mainstream adaptation.

The effect of cultural practices and perceptions on global climate change response among Indigenous peoples: a case study on the Tayal people in northern Taiwan

Many Indigenous peoples are disproportionately affected by global climate change. Current research is focused on how Indigenous adaptation and mitigation strategies can be integrated into mainstream climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. Through a mixed-methods approach, this study explored the effects of culture and local perceptions on coping strategies and adaptations to climate change among Indigenous communities, of which knowledge is inadequate, with a specific focus on two Indigenous Tayal communities in northern Taiwan (N = 101). From our findings, we developed a typology based on a polychoric factor analysis, which includes four key aspects: commercialized response; experience and anticipation; culture, preparedness and recovery; and external support and institutions. The typology shows that cultural practices and perceptions profoundly shape how Indigenous households respond to climate-related disasters and should therefore be incorporated more comprehensively into climate change adaptation and mitigation policy. Our findings reflect a nuanced understanding of Indigenous peoples’ complicated relationship with global climate change. The proposed typology could be used as a theoretical and/or policy-oriented framework to advance an agenda for strengthening Indigenous livelihood resilience to global climate change.

Advancing climate change adaptation in Ugandas agricultural programming for sustainable development: Key milestones and constraints

Climate change remains a crucial threat to sustainable development, particularly to the farming communities, which are more vulnerable to climate impacts. Uganda has made commendable steps in building an institutional framework for addressing climate change. However, the framework remains scattered in several documents making it difficult to track and conceptualize. This paper provides a one-stop center for understanding how effectively climate change is institutionalized in the agricultural sector and identifies the critical issues for future actions towards effective mainstreaming of climate change in agricultural programming. Findings in this paper are based on data collected through document review and a case study of Bududa district, representing the local governance of climate change adaptation mainstreaming. The paper observes that significant steps have been taken to mainstream climate change adaptation in agricultural programming, but adoption of adaptation measures will necessitate robust institutionalization of agricultural insurance as a climate change adaptation strategy particularly in the context of the rural, resource-constrained farming communities which are also more vulnerable to climate change hazards. Secondly, effective mainstreaming of climate change adaptation in agricultural programming in local governments will necessitate increased budget support from the central government towards addressing the critical institutional capacity gaps which hinder climate change adaptation programming and implementation of adaptation measures in local governments of Uganda. Key words: Climate change adaptation, agricultural programming, institutional frameworks for adaptation, Uganda regulatory frameworks for adaptation.

Risk perception and culture: implications for vulnerability and adaptation to climate change.

Perceptions of climate change play a critical role in determining the degree to which people are at risk throughout the world. The significance of culture in understanding why people perceive and respond to climate change in particular ways is largely ignored in mainstream climate change adaptation. This paper applies a critical realist approach to examine the sociocultural structures and causal mechanisms for inaction or (in)effective action between at-risk people and the organisations responsible for dealing with climate change. The findings reveal that there are varying context-specific sub-narratives among heterogeneous groups of people at risk and organisations that lead to inaction or (in)effective action in response to climate change, often independent of risk perceptions and with unforeseen consequences for the vulnerabilities of at-risk people. Specifically, sub-narratives may create parallel and/or conflicting climate-related perceptions and respective responses, legitimise unequal resource distribution, and justify the suppression and/or capitalisation of sub-cultural and/or individual risk perceptions.

Climate change adaptation mainstreaming in the planning instruments of two South African local municipalities

ABSTRACT This article reflects on the role of urban planning in climate change adaptation and the role of planning instruments in facilitating the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation. An analytical framework is introduced to analyse primary spatial and integrated planning instruments in the City of Cape Town and Thulamela Local Municipality in South Africa, as comparative cases with core similarities and contextual differences. The findings are discussed in terms of where adaptation should be included throughout the planning process and the extent to which the cases have been able to mainstream climate change adaptation within their planning instruments. The findings show that local municipal plans and policies are recognising the impact of climate change on settlements and the role of planning in responding to these impacts. However, there is little evidence of addressing these long-term impacts through programmatic and coherent approaches using short- to medium-term planning instruments.

Extreme weather disasters challenges for sustainable development: Innovating a science and policy framework for disaster-resilient and sustainable Quezon City, Philippines

The cities in Southeast Asian and Small Island Developing States have distorted the natural environment by haphazardly constructing roads, buildings, and other infrastructures. Such massive changes in the environment are altering the ecology, creating sustainable development challenges such as climate-related extreme weather events. Super Typhoon Haiyan devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, on November 8, 2013, that caused physical and psychological illnesses to the affected. To prevent these impacts and make cities sustainably develop and Climate Change (CC) resilient, a Science and Policy Framework (SPF) piloting Quezon City Local Government (QCLG) is developed. The application of SPF revealed, among others, the QCLG institutional and personnel adaptive capacities, threat level of CC-related hazards on development growth sectors and institutional and personnel relative vulnerabilities. These findings allowed QCLG to develop sectoral Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP) 2017-2027 to mainstream CC Adaptation (CCA) at the very early stages of development planning. The SPF and LCCAP are flexible and fashioned toward enhancing key development sectors in creating sustainable and CCA-resilient Cities. They can be globally-effective tools for achieving the Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals, and targets of the Sendai Framework.

The Vietnamization of delta management: The Mekong Delta Plan and politics of translation in Vietnam

With the identification of river deltas as especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, efforts are underway to mainstream climate change adaptation into development planning in many delta countries. Yet understanding how these processes unfold demands attention to how knowledge is translated from one context to another and across levels of governance to influence action. This paper examines the “Mekong Delta Plan” (MDP), produced in partnership between the Vietnamese and Dutch governments in 2013, as a vehicle for the translation of knowledge to shape climate change adaptation in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Drawing on ethnographic research at sites in Vietnam and the Netherlands, the findings illustrate how the MDP has come to play a key role in the governance of climate change adaptation in the Delta, driven first by Dutch advisors and then by the Vietnamese government. This study suggests that attention to the politics of translation in climate change adaptation governance can shed light on important factors shaping the socio-material evolution of both the Mekong Delta in particular and deltas more broadly.

Assessment of Climate Change Impacts in the North Adriatic Coastal Area. Part I: A Multi-Model Chain for the Definition of Climate Change Hazard Scenarios

Climate scenarios produce climate change-related information and data at a geographical scale generally not useful for coastal planners to study impacts locally. To provide a suitable characterization of climate-related hazards in the North Adriatic Sea coast, a model chain, with progressively higher resolution was developed and implemented. It includes Global and Regional Circulation Models representing atmospheric and oceanic dynamics for the global and sub-continental domains, and hydrodynamic/wave models useful to analyze physical impacts of sea-level rise and coastal erosion at a sub-national/local scale. The model chain, integrating multiple types of numerical models running at different spatial scales, provides information about spatial and temporal patterns of relevant hazard metrics (e.g., sea temperature, atmospheric pressure, wave height), usable to represent climate-induced events causing potential environmental or socio-economic damages. Furthermore, it allows the discussion of some methodological problems concerning the application of climate scenarios and their dynamical downscaling to the assessment of the impacts in coastal zones. Based on a balanced across all energy sources emission scenario, the multi-model chain applied in the North Adriatic Sea allowed to assess the change in frequency of exceedance of wave height and bottom stress critical thresholds for sediment motion in the future scenario (2070–2100) compared to the reference period 1960 to 1990. As discussed in the paper, such projections can be used to develop coastal erosion hazard scenarios, which can then be applied to risk assessment studies, providing valuable information to mainstream climate change adaptation in coastal zone management.

Community based initiatives to mainstream climate change adaptation into disaster risk reduction: evidence from the Hunter Valley (Australia)

ABSTRACTIn Australia, local communities often enact Community-Based Initiatives (CBIs) to respond to climate change through Climate Change Adaptation (CCA). CBIs can also be integrated into the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) agenda. The paper explores the extent to which CBIs promote the mainstreaming of CCA into DRR. Primary data were obtained from interviews with representatives of CBIs and supporting organisations in three local governments of the Hunter Valley (New South Wales, Australia). Findings show that CBIs recognise the potential contribution of climate change in modifying the local hazard profile. CBIs mainstream CCA into DRR by following four approaches: environmental and social justice; sustainability and transition; ecosystem-based approach; and adaptive planning. Partnerships were identified both among CBIs and between CBIs and City Councils; however, conflicts between CBIs, City Councils and business actors emerged, and a lack of commitment by multi-level governments in responding to climate change was revealed. The findings show that CBIs consider CCA and DRR within a broad everyday context related to vulnerability and local development. But we argue that assigning responsibility for climate change issues to CBIs is not a panacea and should not be the only local climate change response. Instead, CBIs need to be included in a larger and long-term commitment by actors that possess access to resources, such as higher levels of government. The paper provides a local Australian perspective on the effectiveness of mainstreaming CCA into DRR and furthers the conversation for the benefit of other communities facing similar challenges.

Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into Development Planning in Ghana

This paper argues that sustainable development outcomes under climate change are the products of planned adaptation processes involving mainstreaming. The paper examines the extent to which climate change adaptation has been mainstreamed into development planning at the local level in Ghana. Ubiquitous drought and flood disasters in many areas in Ghana are manifestations that climate change can undermine or even reverse the success and sustainability of development interventions. Projections show that the frequency and severity of climate change induced disasters in Ghana will increase overtime. Apparently, the need to mainstream climate change adaptation into development planning at the national and sub-national levels cannot be ignored. In this vein, using the qualitative research approach involving the use of in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and content analysis of district development plans and annual reports, the study found that the mainstreaming of climate change at the district level in Ghana was at the elementary stage, which constitutes awareness creation. As a result, district development plans failed to address climate change adaptation adequately. The paper concludes that there is the need to raise awareness and build local institutional capacities for mainstreaming climate change adaptation for sustainable development in Ghana. Keywords : Climate Change, Mainstreaming, Development planning, Adaptation, Ghana

Mainstreaming ecosystem-based climate change adaptation into integrated water resources management in the Mekong region

Efficient, equitable, and transboundary management of the water resources of the Mekong River Basin (MRB) is challenged by ongoing and accelerating alteration of the river hydrology, land use, water quality, and the uncertainties associated with climate change and its future impacts. Integrated water resources management (IWRM) institutions and mechanisms offer a good entry point for the uptake and implementation of climate change adaptation measures. This review paper provides an overview about IWRM approaches in the MRB and ongoing processes as well as opportunities to mainstream climate change adaptation into existing basin strategies and water management instruments. The review clearly shows that approaches taken by the Mekong River Commission, the Greater Mekong Subregional Economic Cooperation Program, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations with respect to water resources management are largely complementary and synergies could be increased to incorporate climate change adaptation into existing schemes. Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) has a great potential in the region as its economy is still largely based on the use of natural resources. Despite this acknowledgment, the inclusion of EbA measures as a sustainable land and water management tool for climate change adaptation is still relatively new in the MRB context. We argue that mainstreaming EbA measures in IWRM-guided basin development planning offers no-regret and flexible solutions and opportunities and allows for action despite the considerable uncertainties decision-makers face.

Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation in the BS Agriculture Curriculum in Selected Commission on Higher Education Centers of Excellence in Agriculture

The agriculture sector is one of the major areas much affected by the current climate change risk. The Higher Education Institution (HEIs) specifically the SUCs centers of excellence in agriculture plays significant role to limit or lessen the impacts of climate change by promoting leadership in developing effective climate change adaptation strategies and creating public awareness. This study was conducted to assess the level of integration of climate change adaptation (CCA) in teaching courses under the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSA) curriculum; determine the extent of influence of individual, organizational, external factors in the integration; and develop strategies how to mainstream CCA in the BSA curriculum program. Descriptive research utilizing survey and key informants interview (KII) of the deans and administrators were used to gather necessary data. A total of 103 faculties and 8 college administrators including deans from the four selected university became the respondents. The overall perceived knowledge, student needs to mainstream CCA in BSA is high. Majority of the respondents agreed that climate change adaptation principle is reflected to their organization mission. Minimal level of (CCA) integration observed among the agricultural colleges CHED Centers of Excellence. There is minimum integration of CCA in fundamental agriculture courses offered under BSA curriculum across the participating SUC-CA. Since there are existing legal basis such as; RA 9512 or the National Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008, section (3) which focus integration of environmental education in school curricula at all levels, whether public or private. RA 9729 or Climate Change ACT 2010. The respondents of this study from participating SUC–CA centers of excellence in agriculture believed that the specific policy from CHED through a circular memorandum order CMO mandating the SUC’s to re-examine the existing BSA curriculum under CMO#14 and develop strategies on how CCA will be integrated /mainstream on the course program is effective approach in support to the result of this study.

Adapting bridge infrastructure to climate change: institutionalizing resilience in intergovernmental transportation planning processes in the Northeastern USA

Multi-level governance networks provide both opportunities and challenges to mainstream climate change adaptation due to their routine decision-making and coordination processes. This paper explores institutionalizing resilience and adaptation to climate change in the intergovernmental transportation planning processes that address bridge infrastructure in the Northeastern United States (USA), specifically in Vermont and Maine. The research presented here relies on nine interviews with policy-makers and planners, a survey of transportation project prioritization criteria, development of a longitudinal bridge funding database, and its integration with publicly available geospatial data. It presents a novel spatial analysis methodology, a modified version of which could be adopted by transportation agencies for prioritizing scarce adaptation funds. Although transportation agencies are undertaking a variety of mitigation activities to address business-as-usual needs, climate change adaptation and resilience efforts remain underprioritized. Adaptation is a global concern, but impacts vary dramatically between regions and require localized solutions. Bridges and culverts, which are especially vulnerable to climate-induced flooding impacts, have complex maintenance and design processes and are subject to convoluted adaptation planning procedures. Critical gaps in resources and knowledge are barriers to improved adaptation planning. Restructuring the transportation project prioritization procedures used by planning organizations to explicitly include adaptation may provide a novel strategy to institutionalize resilience in transportation. These procedures must be considered in the context of the intergovernmental networks that exist to support transportation infrastructure. Although these networks will likely vary across countries, the approaches introduced here to study and address transportation infrastructure adaptation may be applied to many settings.

Operationalizing analysis of micro-level climate change vulnerability and adaptive capacity

This paper explores vulnerability and adaptive capacity of rural communities in Southern Laos, where households are highly dependent on climate-sensitive natural resources and vulnerable to seasonal weather fluctuations. The speed and magnitude of climate-induced changes may seriously challenge their ability to adapt. Participatory group discussions and 271 household surveys in three villages highlight the current level of vulnerability and adaptive capacity towards climatic variability and risks. This paper visualizes three dimensions of the vulnerability framework at two levels using the Community Climate Vulnerability Index and household climate vulnerability cube. Results show that not only poor households are most at risk from climate change challenges, but also those better-off households highly dependent on specialized agricultural production are locally exposed to climate change risks. The majority of vulnerable households are characterized by low adaptive capacity. Floods and drought regularly put the poor under stress, which has led to various coping mechanisms; but capability of applying long-term adaptive strategies remains low among all households. The outcome of the participatory consultation underlines local community preference for an integrated approach to mainstream climate change adaptation into community natural resource management and livelihood improvement that may lead to better adaptive capacity building.

Some Aspects of Agricultural Vulnerability to Climate Change in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, South Africa:A Systematic Review

The present study uses a systematic review method to document the extent of agricultural vulnerability to climate change (CC) in the midlands region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. With regard to exposure, the CC detection literature suggests that the region is a hotspot of CC, and most climate model projections show warming and wetting trends towards the end of the 21st century. The sensitivity of farming systems is high due to high population density, large share of small-scale farmers, low rate of irrigation, and susceptibility to land degradation. The highly diversified cropping portfolios in the region are the major sources of resilience. The adaptive capacity is compromised by lack of access to public infrastructure, lower liquidity and income prospects, rural exodus, skills shortage, and limited inter-household cooperation. Policymakers should, therefore, devise a regional CC communication strategy, promote crop diversification and irrigation water governance, and mainstream CC adaptation in the rural development objectives.

Climate Change Perception and Adaptation Practices of Gondar City Administration Office Workers, Ethiopia

Purpose- Cities and their residents are affected by climate change, the poor are more vulnerable to consequences of climate extremes and variability increases. Climate change mitigation and adaptation are challenges that face cities. City administration offices can contribute positively in mitigating climate change impact if workers have right perception. This study focus on determining the perception of Gondar City administration workers on climate change impact, organizational adaptation capacity and adaptation works. Factors associated with adaptation practices of climate change impact were also determined. Design/methodology/approach- A cross sectional study design was implemented among Gondar city administration workers. Findings - Majority of workers in City of Gondar administration offices were aware of climate change and its impact. Adaptation capacity of the city administration was relatively low; which results unavailability of adaptation plans and minimal works done on climate change adaptation. The study also revealed that adaptation capacity of Gondar city administration offices was associated with the practicality of adaptation activities within the city. Originality/value - This paper will be of value to city management and policy developers looking in to mainstream climate change adaptation in Ethiopia at City level. Key words : Awareness, Perception, Climate change adaptation, Adaptation capacity