Support Climate Change Adaptation Research Articles

SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

The agricultural and allied sectors of many countries have experienced the impacts of climate change in one way or the other. This study highlights the impacts of climate change on agriculture, water resources, health, and economy of sub-Sahara African countries. The study reveals its significant threats to gross domestic product (GDP) and economic sustainability at the national level, and livelihoods, food security, and well-being of citizens at individual level. The study explored research reports on adaptation, mitigation, and integrated approaches to solving climate change issues. Meta AI was found useful in generating data for the study. Though climate change is a global issue, impacts on the countries of the global north are quite different from those of the global south, with impacts being more severe in sub-Sahara Africa. GDP, GDP/capital, contribution of agriculture to GDP, and water availability will decline while numbers of people living below poverty line, people displaced and occasions of deceases will increase due to climate change. Policy and practice interventions with consideration for local factors are recommended to enhance adaptation capacity, promote sustainable development, and support climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. This study provides policy insight to the growing discussions on climate change issues globally, especially as it focuses on how its impacts alter the economic situations and daily expectations of the already indigent farmers in the countries of the global south. These countries contribute very little to causation of climate change, yet are at the receiving end of the impacts with extremely high Climate Change Vulnerability Index values recorded.

Groundwater quality prediction and risk assessment in Kerala, India: A machine-learning approach

Despite its critical importance for health, agriculture, and the economy, and its key role in supporting climate change adaptation, groundwater quality remains vulnerable to contamination and is often neglected until significant deterioration. The groundwater resources of Kerala, one of the southernmost states of India, are under escalating stress and scarcity, despite a high well density with 62% of the population relying on groundwater from approximately 6.5 million open wells. This study investigates the detailed hydrogeochemistry and predicts groundwater quality zones of the state using machine-learning techniques viz, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), support vector regression (SVR), artificial neural network (ANN) and random forest (RF) regression. The hydrogeochemical analysis reveals varying groundwater quality across the state. Among the different machine learning models, RF shows higher goodness of fit (R2: 0.922) with minimal prediction error (root mean square error: 6.29 and mean absolute error: 3.12). The predicted groundwater quality was validated using the spatially distributed stiff diagrams, visually representing water composition trends of each well. The very good, good, moderate and poor groundwater quality zones occupy 31.7%, 40.4%, 20.4%, and 7.4% of the state aligning accurately with the groundwater quality scenario of the state. Additionally, groundwater drinking risk assessment was conducted, considering that 7.4% of the state experiences poor-quality groundwater. Integrating groundwater quality maps with population data, the study assessed potential health risks due to consuming untreated water. Nearly 0.59 million people across 252 local self-government bodies (LSGs) are susceptible to consuming poor quality groundwater, which may pose potential health risks. This observation provides valuable insights for sustainable groundwater management and public health safeguarding and the findings of the present study are useful for achieving sustainable development goal (SGD) 6 (clean water and sanitation) and long-term groundwater management in Kerala.

Mapping vulnerability to climate-related hazards to inform local authority action in adaptation: A feasibility study

BackgroundLocal authorities have a crucial role in building community resilience to the health effects of a changing climate. Support in achieving local action can be provided through improving available public health intelligence to inform decision making. We aimed to co-develop with a local authority a tool mapping vulnerability to climate related hazards. MethodsWe conducted a feasibility study, exploring through stakeholder engagement local priorities and levers for action in adaptation that could be informed by provision of increased intelligence. This informed co-development of a proof-of-concept tool. ResultsStakeholders reported needs in better understanding the intersection between vulnerability and hazard to facilitate partnership working, decision making, and targeting of interventions. We developed a mapping tool, using nationally available data, overlaying a vulnerability index with hazard (heat and flooding) exposure. ConclusionsMapping tools are feasible methods by which public health intelligence to support climate change adaptation planning can be shared. Barriers to action may result from the complexity of vulnerability, concerns of unintended consequences, and resource constraints. Co-development with local expertise is necessary to ensure that outputs add value to local response. This tool will now be piloted to gather feedback on useability, usefulness, and potential improvements.

Climate change and seaports: hazards, impacts and policies and legislation for adaptation

Seaports are critical for global trade and development but are at risk of climate change-driven damages, operational disruptions and delays with extensive related economic losses. The aim of the present contribution is to (a) provide an overview of the main impacts of climate variability and change (CV&C) on ports; (b) present recent research on trends and projections involving the main climatic factors/hazards affecting global ports; (c) provide an analytical overview of emerging international and regional policies and legislation relevant to port risk assessment and resilience-building under climate change; and (d) consider issues and areas for further action. As shown by projections under different climatic scenarios and timelines, many global ports will increasingly be exposed to significantly growing hazards under increasing CV&C, including extreme sea levels (ESLs), waves, and extreme heat events. Depending on scenario (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) by 2050, 55% to 59% of the 3630 global ports considered could face ESLs in excess of 2 m above the baseline mean sea levels (mean of the 1980–2014 period); by 2100, between 71% and 83% of ports could face ESLs of this magnitude. Ports in most tropical/sub-tropical settings will face the baseline (mean of the 1976 – 2005 period) 1-in-100 year extreme heat every 1 – 5 years, whereas with 3 oC global warming, most global ports (except some in higher latitudes) could experience the baseline 1-in-100 years extreme heat event every 1 – 2 years. A range of policy and legal instruments to support climate change adaptation, resilience-building and disaster risk reduction have been agreed internationally as well as at regional levels. At the EU level, relevant legal obligations and related normative technical guidance aimed at ensuring the climate proofing of new infrastructure are already in place as a matter of supra-national law for 27 EU Member States. These could significantly enhance levels of climate-resilience and preparedness for ports within the EU, as well as for EU funded port projects in other countries, and may serve as useful examples of good practices for other countries. However, further action is needed to advance and accelerate the implementation of effective adaptation measures for ports across regions.

A Systematic Assessment of Greening Interventions for Developing Best Practices for Urban Heat Mitigation—The Case of Huế, Vietnam

The health of urban populations is increasingly at risk due to the amplification and chronification of urban heat stress by climate change. This is particularly true for urban environments in humid tropical climates, including many cities in Southeast Asia. It is also in these locations where increasing climatic risks may be exacerbated by urban growth, underscoring the need to develop effective mitigation strategies for strengthening urban resilience and supporting climate change adaptation. Conservation and widespread implementation of green infrastructure (GI) are regarded as one means to counter heat as a public health threat. However, for lower-income countries across Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam, knowledge gaps remain with respect to the effectiveness of greening interventions for heat mitigation. To address this gap, in the context of urban expansion in the humid tropical city of Huế, Vietnam, diurnal cooling potential and regulation of outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) within a wide, shallow street canyon were systematically assessed for selected elements of GI along a quantitative and qualitative dimension using ENVI-met. Tree-based interventions were found to be most effective, potentially decreasing UTCI by −1.9 K at the domain level. Although lower in magnitude, green verges and green facades were also found to contribute to OTC, with green verges decreasing UTCI by up to −1.7 K and green facades by up to −1.4 K locally. Potential synergistic cooling impacts were identified through a combination of GI elements. However, no scenario was found to decrease heat stress to zero or moderate levels. Substantially reducing heat stress may thus require further measures and a closer consideration of local morphological characteristics.

Understanding the stakeholders’ interests and role toward climate change adaptation (case study of Indonesia)

PurposeUnderstanding the stakeholders' role and interest are critical for implementing climate change policy. The dichotomy between adaptation and mitigation, which arguably creates uncertainty at the implementation level, for example, is shaped by the role of the actors involved. In this regard, this study aims to investigate the interests and role of stakeholders in climate change adaptation at the national and regional levels in Indonesia. The country, Indonesia, is selected because it produces the largest amount of greenhouse gas emissions, and the people are at the highest risk of the impacts of climate change in the world. Furthermore, this study discusses the challenges in climate change adaptation in Indonesia.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses a literature review and interviews with potential stakeholders. Purposive sampling methods were applied to select stakeholders for interviews. Interviews with key stakeholders were conducted through email and Zoom. Questions were developed based on the roles and interests of stakeholders.FindingsAccording to the stakeholders, there is a need to establish links between climate change adaptation and local policy at the national and regional levels. The results reveal no integration strategy or approach to support climate change adaptation. Although there has been some climate change adaptation, few people are widely regarded as authorities on climate change policy. This study also discusses some challenges and opportunities to engage key stakeholders in Indonesia.Originality/valueThe study offers an understanding of stakeholders based on key stakeholders' interests and role in climate change adaptation in Indonesia. The research findings in this study generate prospects for the government or decision-makers or other stakeholders to deliberately aspire for policy planning. In addition, to prepare climate change adaptation policies relating to the role of stakeholders or community-based approaches to climate change adaptation, stakeholders can conduct more detailed studies to achieve community resilience in term of climate change adaptation.

Centring localised indigenous concepts of wellbeing in urban nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation: case-studies from Aotearoa New Zealand and the Cook Islands

Nature-based solutions (NbS) offer significant potential for climate change adaptation and resilience. NbS strengthen biodiversity and ecosystems, and premise approaches that centre human wellbeing. But understandings and models of wellbeing differ and continue to evolve. This paper reviews wellbeing models and thinking from Aotearoa New Zealand, with focus on Te Ao Māori (the Māori world and worldview) as well as other Indigenous models of wellbeing from wider Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Oceania. We highlight how holistic understandings of human-ecology-climate connections are fundamental for the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples of Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Oceania and that they should underpin NbS approaches in the region. We profile case study experience from Aotearoa New Zealand and the Cook Islands emerging out of the Nature-based Urban design for Wellbeing and Adaptation in Oceania (NUWAO) research project, that aims to develop nature-based urban design solutions, rooted in Indigenous knowledges that support climate change adaptation and wellbeing. We show that there is great potential for nature-based urban adaptation agendas to be more effective if linked closely to Indigenous ecological knowledge and understandings of wellbeing.

Let’s Do It for Real: Making the Ecosystem Service Concept Operational in Regional Planning for Climate Change Adaptation

The application of ecosystem service (ES) knowledge to planning processes and decision-making can lead to more effective climate change adaptation. Despite the increased attention given to the ES concept, its degree of integration and use in spatial planning processes are still below the expectations of those who are promoting this concept. Barriers hindering its operationalisation cover a span of aspects ranging from theoretical to procedural and methodological issues. Overall, there is a general lack of guidance on how and at what point ES knowledge should be integrated into planning processes. This study aims to promote the inclusion of ES knowledge into spatial planning practices and decision-making processes to enhance climate change adaptation. A replicable GIS-based methodology is proposed. First, the potential supply of ESs that can support climate change adaptation (ESCCAs) is defined, mapped, and quantified. Then, a need for an ESCCA supply is identified, and territorial capacities to respond to the expected climate change impacts on natural and socio-economic sectors are assessed. The methodology is applied to the Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region (Italy) as an illustrative case study. The results reveal that areas with similar geomorphological characteristics tend to respond similarly. Forest ecosystems, inland wetlands and specifically salt marshes can potentially supply a greater variety of ESCCAs. In the case study area, about 62% of the supplied ESCCAs can contribute to reducing the impacts in more than 50% of the impacted sectors. The territory of the study site generally shows good preparedness for expected impacts in most of the analysed sectors; less prepared areas are characterised by agricultural ecosystems. This reading approach based on land cover analyses can thus assist in developing policies to enhance different territorial capacities, ultimately leading to better and more sustainable decision-making.

The Role of Digital Technologies in Supporting Climate Change Adaptation in Fisheries and Aquaculture

The Role of Digital Technologies in Supporting Climate Change Adaptation in Fisheries and Aquaculture

Review of climate change adaptation and mitigation implementation in Canada's forest ecosystems part II: successes and barriers to effective implementation

With its northern location, the exposure and vulnerability of Canada's forest ecosystems to climate change impacts are all too glaring. While there is now an extensive body of literature describing expected climate change impacts and potential responses, studies characterizing the implementation of adaptation and mitigation practices in forest management remain rare in the Canadian forest sector. Using a systematic literature review, we examined reports on forest management practices implemented in response to climate change, specifically focusing on governance and institutional arrangements that either support or limit climate change adaptation and mitigation responses. Our literature sample size of 24 documents suggests that the body of literature reporting on adaptation and mitigation practices in forest management is scarce. Governments remain the dominant actors providing funding and leading the implementation and reporting of climate change adaptation practices, primarily in response to national or international climate change commitments. Forest practices such as enhanced silviculture, assisted migration, and nature-based solutions were the most frequently reported. However, given the scarcity of literature, it is difficult to conclude the scope of climate change adaptation practice uptake in Canada. Barriers such as lack of information/data, inter-jurisdictional knowledge transfer, policy conflicts, forest tenure models, technical capacity gaps, and economic barriers to adaptation need to be overcome to strengthen climate change response in forest management. Better coordination of reporting at the provincial and national levels and improved information flows between private sector organizations and governments are needed.

Pluvial flood adaptation using nature-based solutions: An integrated biophysical-economic assessment

Globally, flood events are considered the costliest natural hazard. Changes in precipitation patterns and large areas of impervious surfaces in urban environments are increasing the sensitivity of these systems to runoff production. At the same time, projected global sea-level rise may further increase the frequency of compound flooding due to simultaneous storm surge, sea-level rise and pluvial runoff that cause vast socio-economic and ecological impacts to coastal cities. In this context, over the last decade, the role of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) has been recognised to support climate change adaptation by addressing ideas of multi-functionality, non-linearity and heterogeneity in urban design. Thus, increasing awareness about NBS benefits increases the willingness to accept these solutions. However, empirical evidence of NBS effectiveness at the urban catchment scale is still subject to debate. This study develops a spatial biophysical-economic framework that allows for the integrated assessment of NBS flood risk mitigation impacts, costs and benefits in the face of climate change, combining the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model, benefit transfer methods and Geographic Information System (GIS) tools. Specifically, the InVEST Urban Flood Risk Mitigation model was used to assess the biophysical impacts of NBS on urban pluvial flood risk, benefit-transfer methods were used to evaluate the economic implications of such solutions, and GIS was used to integrate and map biophysical impacts and economic implications. For the case of the coastal lagoon city of Aveiro (Portugal), NBS scenarios of green roofs and bioswales under current and future climate conditions were assessed. The main findings of this study show that green roofs scenarios would save 32 % of the flood damages to buildings and infrastructures every year, while bioswales help save only 0.1 %. Moreover, green roofs implementation provides larger benefits in the future climate scenario (representative concentration pathway – RCP – 4.5). The findings confirm the extent to which knowledge on NBS benefits and costs is partial and uncertain, thus requiring constant progress through biophysical-economic assessment to support an evolutive decision making process in climate adaptation planning.

Spatial Planning Response to the Challenges of Climate Change Adaptation: An Analysis of Selected Instruments and Good Practices in Europe

The task of combining objectives, spatial planning instruments, and climate change adaptation targets is a complex endeavour that varies across countries. There is a call for a universal discussion on how spatial planning should respond to climate change challenges. To address this issue, this article delves into the approaches taken by Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Poland, aiming to explore how spatial planning instruments support climate change adaptation goals. The authors, based on a jointly extracted questionnaire, identified what they consider to be the most relevant examples of instruments to use to ensure the integration of spatial planning objectives and the response to climate challenges. The identified solutions are compared in detail. Three key spatial planning themes emerged in this study: investment in renewable energy, the development and preservation of green infrastructure, and the protection of coastal zones. This article examines the systemic solutions found in these countries, discusses the role of both classical and sectoral spatial planning instruments, and identifies the level of public authority responsible for key interventions. It shows that instruments developed at the supra-local level should support local authorities by providing them with legal and substantive arguments for developing solutions relevant to climate challenges.

Assessing the leapfrogging potential to water sensitive: the Dutch case of Zwolle

Abstract Urban floods can cause significant damage and are expected to become more common due to climate change. Previous research has identified that climate change adaptation in cities requires the development of blue-green infrastructure (BGI), and it is expected that cities can leapfrog to a water-sensitive state by implementing BGI. However, leapfrogging is context-dependent, and little is known about how governance factors affect leapfrogging, particularly in midsize cities. This paper addresses this knowledge gap, providing empirical insights into leapfrogging by assessing the governance factors that support or restrict BGI implementation in Zwolle (The Netherlands) towards reaching a water-sensitive state. For the analysis, we employ a governance assessment tool and three catalytic factors that promote leapfrogging. The results show that the governance context supports leapfrogging at a moderate to high level. This means that while the governmental levels and stakeholder networks collaborate to support climate change adaptation of the city, new legislation on BGI and citizens’ involvement in climate change adaptation projects could increase the leapfrog possibilities for Zwolle in achieving its goal of becoming climate-proof by 2050.

Facing the challenge of permafrost thaw in Nunavik communities: innovative integrated methodology, lessons learnt, and recommendations to stakeholders

To support climate change adaptation in the communities of Nunavik, an innovative multitechnique approach to map permafrost conditions and assess risks of geohazards at the community-scale level was applied. Four maps were produced for each community: (1) a surficial geology map, (2) a map of permafrost conditions based on ground-ice content and depth to bedrock, (3) a map of potential for construction, and (4) a geohazard risk assessment map. Local ground temperature data from thermistor cables were used to calibrate 1D numerical models to estimate future permafrost temperature changes and probable rates of degradation in different environmental settings within the communities and under different climate change scenarios for the 2019–2100 period. Throughout this project, abundant consultations were held in communities and with stakeholders to better understand their concerns and to provide pragmatic recommendations for improving construction methods and land-use planning to face the challenges of permafrost thaw. Specific recommendations were made to the higher levels of government for improving construction practices. Inuit aspirations, culture, and leadership remain essential in integrating permafrost geotechnical knowledge in planning a safe future for the communities.

Future climate change for major agricultural zones in China as projected by CORDEX-EA-II, CMIP5 and CMIP6 ensembles

Understanding future climate change is crucial for securing and managing water supplies necessary for agricultural activities in China, particularly in rainfed agriculture regions. This paper evaluates the projected climate change for nine major agricultural zones in China, using ensembles of regional climate models (RCMs) simulated under the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment-East Asia second phase (CORDEX-EA-II) framework. The simulations were conducted for two climate scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5) at a 25 km grid spacing, with three RCMs (RegCM4, REMO, and WRF) driven by multiple CMIP5 global climate models (GCMs). The study compares the RCM simulations to the driving CMIP5 and the recent CMIP6 ensembles, focusing on surface temperature, precipitation, and surface relative humidity for the present day (1981–2010), mid-future (2036–2065), and far future (2070–2099) periods. The model evaluations indicate that the GCM and RCM simulations are consistent with observations, with RCMs showing better performance than the driving GCMs. The results show that both GCMs and RCMs project increased temperature and precipitation in most agricultural zones of China in the future, with the CMIP6 ensembles projecting the largest temperature increase and the CORDEX-EA-II ensemble showing the finest spatial details. Relative humidity is projected to decrease over major rice-producing areas of South China in the CORDEX-EA-II, CMIP5, and CMIP6 ensembles. This study provides valuable information to support climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts in China, particularly in the agricultural sectors.

The potential of local government support for climate change adaptation of lowland rice farming

Climate change has impacted the production and productivity of agricultural commodities, including rice as the main food crop. All parties must play an active role in overcoming climate change impact, coming under the local government. This study was carried out by performing focus group discussions (FGD) and filling out questionnaires to identify the potential, opportunities, and problems faced in supporting climate change adaptation. A SWOT analysis was employed by considering Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The study was conducted in two regencies in Central Java Indonesia, namely Purworejo and Banjarnegara, where a climate change adaptation program has been initiated. Local government support is needed to get continuity of climate change adaptation. The results show that the potential of local government support for climate change adaptation should prioritize the Strength Opportunity (SO) strategy. The choice of SO strategy is based on various strengths owned by the local government and many opportunities which can still be reached by growing people’s awareness of climate change. The alternatives of local government support are providing information and appropriate innovations for climate change adaptation. Public awareness and willingness are means for successful adaptation. Physical program supports, such as infrastructure, should be equipped with non-physical programs and local regulations as reinforcement.

Analysis on the Cashmere Industry Cluster: Development, Challenges and Solutions

Mongolia is one of the world's leading producers of cashmere. Development of the cashmere industry cluster in Mongolia presents both opportunities and challenges. To address these challenges, a range of measures can be taken, including supporting climate change adaptation, improving access to finance and markets, and establishing quality control and certification systems.

Exploring the benefits and dis-benefits of climate migration as an adaptive strategy along the rural-peri-urban continuum in Namibia

The scale of climate migration across the Global South is expected to increase during this century. By 2050, millions of Africans are likely to consider, or be pushed into, migration because of climate hazards contributing to agricultural disruption, water and food scarcity, desertification, flooding, drought, coastal erosion, and heat waves. However, the migration-climate nexus is complex, as is the question of whether migration can be considered a climate change adaptation strategy across both the rural and urban space. Combining data from household surveys, key informant interviews, and secondary sources related to regional disaster, demographic, resource, and economic trends between 1990 and 2020 from north central and central dryland Namibia, we investigate (i) human migration flows and the influence of climate hazards on these flows and (ii) the benefits and dis-benefits of migration in supporting climate change adaptation, from the perspective of migrants (personal factors and intervening obstacles), areas of origin, and areas of destination. Our analysis suggests an increase in climate-related push factors that could be driving rural out-migration from the north central region to peri-urban settlements in the central region of the country. While push factors play a role in rural-urban migration, there are also several pull factors (many of which have been long-term drivers of urban migration) such as perceived higher wages, diversity of livelihoods, water, health and energy provisioning, remittances, better education opportunities, and the exchange of non-marketed products. Migration to peri-urban settlements can reduce some risks (e.g. loss of crops and income due to climate extremes) but amplify others (e.g. heat stress and insecure land tenure). Adaptation at both ends of the rural–urban continuum is supported by deeply embedded linkages in a model of circular rural–urban-rural migration and interdependencies. Results empirically inform current and future policy debates around climate mobilities in Namibia, with wider implications across Africa.Graphical abstract

Research Themes, Trends and Future Priorities in the Field of Climate Change and Health: A Review

Climate change is one of the biggest threats to human living and health in the 21st century. Whilst a large number of papers have been published addressing the health impact of climate change, there is a lack of comprehensive bibliometric analysis in the crosscutting field. This study evaluated the global scientific output of research in the field of climate change and health between 1990 and 2020, based on the Web of Science Core Collection database. Research themes were identified using a social network analysis technique based on author keywords. Research trends were assessed by the change in overall publication number and the percentage of publications in each research theme. Articles were further categorized by the availability of funding and author affiliation to compare the difference between developed and developing countries. Results showed that the research output in the field of climate change and health has increased dramatically in the past 30 years, mainly dominated by researchers in developed countries. The percentage of research receiving funding was found to be the lowest in those published by developing countries only and the highest in those published by the collaboration of developed and developing countries. A total of nine major research themes was identified. Research related to ‘risk assessment and adaptation’, ‘sustainable development’ and ‘infectious diseases’ were relatively underfunded. A significant research trend was observed between 2006 and 2020, with increased attention on research themes related to ‘risk assessment and adaptation’, ‘sustainable development’, ‘extreme events’ and ‘air pollution’, and reduced attention on research themes related to ‘ocean’, ‘infectious disease’ and ‘phenology’. The shift of the research trend was mainly driven by research in developed countries. Suggestions, recommendations and future priorities identified by experts in the field of atmospheric sciences, epidemiology, public health, climate change, environmental sciences, and policy development are also provided to guide future research. It is important to shift our focus from single health aspects to an integrated system (such as One Health framework, which considers environmental health, animal health and human health as a whole), with future research focusing more on the systemic impact of climate change in order to achieve better, more effective and efficient risk governance. More funding should be mobilized to support the research capacity building in developing countries and to support climate change adaptation strategies for sustainable development.

Climate change adaptation in agriculture: Learning from an international labour mobility programme in Australia and the Pacific Islands region

Climate change is expected to seriously affect agricultural livelihoods and food security in all Pacific Island countries. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation contends that, to adapt, both ‘modern’ and Indigenous agricultural practices and knowledge are needed. A challenge lies in combining agricultural knowledge systems and enabling adaptive knowledge to be shared amongst Pacific Islanders. Opportunities to integrate different types of agricultural knowledge (including ‘modern’ and Indigenous) are needed. This paper argues that international labour mobility programmes provide an avenue for knowledge exchange that can support climate change adaptation in agriculture. It presents empirical evidence from research with 33 Pacific Islanders who grow crops in their home countries and were employed in Australia’s Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP). We demonstrate how SWP participation opened new possibilities for climate change adaptation in agriculture in the Pacific Islands. Adaptive knowledge stems from SWP workers’ exposure to different agricultural skills and ideas in Australia, combined with their knowledge and experience of crop production in their countries of origin. SWP participation created opportunities for workers to draw on different agricultural skills and knowledge on return to the Pacific Islands. The ability for SWP workers to then exchange adaptive knowledge with other Pacific Islanders is enabled by their social relationships, the likes of which an official agricultural extension officer might not have to the same degree. So far, such adaptive agricultural knowledge and skills exchanges are serendipitous. There is scope to explicitly build climate change knowledge exchange into agriculture-focused international labour mobility schemes.