Climate Adaptation & Adaptation Mainstreaming:

Lessons from Variability

Eileen L. SheaEast-West Center

Pacific Islands Training Institute on Climate and Extreme Events

June 2004

Mainstreaming Climate Information for Adaptation: Sources of Lessons

2002 Snowmass Institute on Integrated Assessments: Special Session on Adaptation

Symposium on Climate and Extreme Events in Asia-Pacific: Enhancing Resilience & Improving Decision Making (Bangkok, March 2003)

Mobilizing Solutions for Adaptation: Enhancing Resilience (New Orleans, October 2003)

Insights and Tools for Adaptation: Learning from Climate Variability (Washington, D.C., November 2003)

Some Definitions…Vulnerability – a combination of sensitivity,

exposure and resilience (adaptive capacity); focus on Reducing exposure and/or sensitivity orEnhancing resilience

Adaptation – those activities that people, individually or in groups such as households, villages, companies and various forms of government, carry out in order to accommodate, cope with or reduce the adverse effects of climate variability and change (SPREP, 2000); generally two types;Anticipatory (proactive)Reactive

Lessons Learned from VariabilityRecall some of the Guiding Principles from

“Forecast to Applications” session:Focus on integrated climate-society systemInteractive, collaborative process with stakeholders

(science-policy partnerships)Problem-focused approach:

Understand place, context, history and decision making process

Useful and usable informationNear-term decisions and long-term planning

Learn-by-doingAddress today’s problems and plan for the future

Facilitate proactive decision making and iterative, reflective, flexible and adaptive approaches

Identification of information needsProduct design and evaluationFuture needs and opportunities

Product development and distributionInformation interpretation/translationCommunication/outreach/education

Users of Climate Informatio

n

Providers of Climate Informatio

n

Continuous Interaction and

Information Flow

Pacific Regional Climate Pacific Regional Climate Information SystemInformation System

Continuing Process of Shared Learning Continuing Process of Shared Learning and Joint Problem Solvingand Joint Problem Solving

A General Approach to Adaptation Mainstreaming (New Orleans, 2003)Adaptation entails the consideration of climatic

variability and change in ongoing decision-making processes, development plans, projects & initiativesImproving society’s ability to cope with changes in

climate across timescalesAllows for adaptation to both natural and

anthropogenic changes in climateAdaptation requires being proactive regarding

the full range of future stressesRecognize interconnections between socioeconomic,

environmental and climatic stressesComprehensive risk management where climate is

one factor in a multi-stress environment

A General Approach to Adaptation Mainstreaming (New Orleans, 2003)The goal of adaptation is to enhance resilience

and develop flexible management approaches that facilitate adjustments in response to changing climate conditionsAddress both climate-related challenges and

opportunitiesEvolutionary process of minimizing risk, reducing

vulnerability and enhancing resilienceOpportunities exist for integrating greenhouse

gas reduction (mitigation) and adaptation concerns, e.g.:Efficiencies in agriculture and water sectorsMangroves as carbon sink and coastal protection

Methods & Mechanisms for Adaptation:(New Orleans, 2003)

Consider the context in which adaptation must take place:Work with stakeholders to develop problem-

specific solutions – mainstreaming climate information to support adaptation a “demand-driven” enterprise

Understand the decision making processesIdentify appropriate intervention pointsEmphasize adaptive managementSupport and integrate indigenous

adaptations

Methods & Mechanisms for Adaptation:(New Orleans, 2003)

In the context of natural resources, effective adaptation a balance between bottoms-up (multiple, individual projects) and top-down (imposition of a management structure)

Use a wide range of networks and partnerships (government, social, scientific, private sector networks)

Foster cross-sectoral integrationWork at multiple levels of governance

Some Barriers to Adaptation(New Orleans, 2003)

Systemic and perceptual barriers including:Difficulties communicating information across sectors

and among levels of governmentShort-term planning horizons on the part of some policy

officials and decision makersMechanisms for using market forces to facilitate

adaptation not well establishedVulnerable countries have limited capacity and

in-house expertiseApproaches for integrating climate information

into decision making and long-term planning efforts not well establishedReliance on historical data and patternsNo well-established framework for priorities

Methods & Mechanisms for Adaptation:(New Orleans, 2003)

Work “end-to-end” – from planning through implementation, monitoring, evaluation and adjustmentStart with existing planning effortsSet priorities to maximize use of limited resourcesMonitor and assess progress often & continuouslyDevelop indicators of outcomes

Work in multiple timescalesDecision makers interested in continuum of

information from extreme events through seasonal outlooks to long-term projections

Exploring linkages important

Enhancing Resilience:Water Resources as Example

Central importance of water resources to survival and development make this sector a natural target of opportunity“Water is Gold” – cascading effects

Limited (natural) storage capacityDependence on rainfall; subject to seasonal

and year-to-year variationsIncreasing demand – population growth and

economic developmentInfrastructure constraintsInstitutional challenges

Providing Access to Fresh WaterEnhancing Resilience

Improve Infrastructure/Enhance Capacity

Evaluate Existing Assets and Develop Unused/Alternative Sources

Incentives for Water Conservation and Wastewater Recovery and Reuse

Providing Access to Fresh WaterEnhancing Resilience

Encourage Public-Private Partnerships Among Large-Scale Users (tourism, agriculture, military)

Pursue Watershed Protection and Restoration

Emphasize Integrated Water and Land Use Management; Explore Traditional Practices (e.g., Ahupua’a in Hawaii)

Providing Access to Fresh WaterEnhancing Resilience

Plan for Extremes (particularly droughts)

Integrate Climate Forecasts into decision making

Emphasize Self-Sufficiency in Long-Term Planning

Promote Public Awareness, Education, Dialogue & Capacity-Building

Some Closing Thoughts on Adaptation

Government leadership—at all levelsRisk management a useful framework

for building partnerships and guiding climate information systems

Proactive planning—climate risk management in a sustainable development context:Responding to today’s variabilityAdaptation to long-term changeEconomic planning & community

development