Search

Coastal erosion as a threat to Ghana's coastline is being exacerbated by natural and anthropogenic processes. Adaptation to coastal erosion helps in managing the impacts and the levels of destruction to livelihoods, properties and investments along the coastline. Government intervention in adaptation to coastal erosion has always focused on the development of coastal sea defences without the integration of Indigenous knowledge and initiatives of coastal dwellers. This paper contributes to this gap by examining the Indigenous adaptation responses to coastal erosion in selected coastal communities of Ghana, factors influencing the choice of adaptation responses and the extent to which these Indigenous adaptation responses are addressing coastal erosion. Findings from the explorative qualitative study revealed that coastal dwellers are engaged in different forms of planned and reactive adaptation responses to coastal erosion. It was also found out that most of the Indigenous adaptation responses to coastal erosion were unsustainable in addressing coastal erosion and the choice of Indigenous adaptation response to coastal erosion was shaped by socio-economic and ecological factors or perception. Maladaptation responses by coastal dwellers were contributing to the phenomenon of coastal erosion. Coastal dwellers have survived the impacts of coastal erosion in the absence of support from central and local governments and their unsustainable adaptation responses have become a cyclical ritual over a period of time. The paper contributes to the debates on adaptation to climate change and the consideration of Indigenous knowledge into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies in coastal zone planning and management. • Indigenous adaptation responses to coastal erosion are autonomous and reactive. • There is no collective community action towards addressing coastal erosion. • Adaptation responses are shaped by socio-economic and ecological considerations. • Maladaptation responses are counterproductive to addressing coastal erosion. • Hard Indigenous adaptation responses are a physical limitation to coastal resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal resilience strategies are vital for managing the impacts of climatic shocks and stresses that bedevils coastal zones globally. Coastal strategies that reflect indigenous knowledge and practices as well as local adaptation efforts are productive in promoting resilience to coastal erosion at the local level. However, there has been less common research in conventional literature on how national level strategies impact adaptation measures by local governance institutions and coastal dwellers in addressing coastal erosion. Using an explorative qualitative case study of selected coastal communities in Ghana, the paper contributes to this gap by assessing how national level strategies impact adaptation to coastal erosion at the local level. It also examines the institutional and community perception of coastal erosion, its causes and impacts. Findings indicate that all the coastal dwellers in the study communities are aware of coastal erosion with most of the community interviewees attributing the phenomenon to sea-level rise as the main driver of coastal erosion. Also, interviews with local government authorities and state agencies found that the national level coastal erosion adaptation strategies to a large extent do not promote local innovation in addressing climatic shocks and stresses of coastal communities. The paper contributes to contemporary debates in indigenous knowledge in climate change mitigation and adaptation by multilevel governance towards coastal resilience by recommending a collaborative effort between coastal communities and the District Assemblies in promoting indigenous knowledge in climate change adaptation and the preparation of coastal management plans that incorporates indigenous knowledge in adaptation to coastal erosion. • Coastal dwellers perceive coastal erosion through direct observation. • National level coastal resilience strategies promote indigenous knowledge. • Their implementation is at variance with local level adaptation. • State institutions perceive indigenous knowledge and adaptation as unsustainable. • Formal integration of indigenous knowledge affects local level adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small island states are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, despite not contributing much to global greenhouse gas emissions. Crafting effective science-based adaptive strategies to conserve and sustain natural resources in the face of the changing climate has important socio-economic, political, and ecological dimensions. The analysis in the current paper reveals that the island of Mauritius has been warming at a rate of 0.0216 °C/year over the period 1971–2020, with an increase in precipitation averaging 2.29 mm/year over the 1981–2020 period. The changing climate over time has had severe repercussions on the native ecosystems of the island and is threatening the long-term freshwater supply system. Science-based policy measures proposed revolve around the expansion and re-design of protected areas to be strategically located in climate-resilient regions that seek to offer refuge to native fauna and flora. To increase the resilience on freshwater supply on the island, measures proposed include the introduction of a freshwater coordination-based system that operates on water stress level, in addition to increasing the network of freshwater catchment areas in regions where precipitation is increasing over time. The insights in this paper are expected to be valuable for other small islands in adapting to climate change. [Display omitted] • Quantifications of the changes in temperature and rainfall over time have been conducted. • The spatial distribution of the changing climate of a small island state is modelled. • Adaptation measures are proposed to conserve native island fauna and flora. • Science-based policies are proposed to improve sustainability of freshwater supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In shaping environmental policy, knowledge is power. Yet the opposite is also true. Control over the absence of knowledge facilitates certain policy outcomes being deflected, obscured, or magnified in a way that furthers political, personal, or institutional ends. Applying previous work on ignorance studies and agnotology to the development of Cambodian drought policy, the paper demonstrates how data gaps, restrictions on data sharing, and obstacles to data dissemination serve institutional interests and shape policy development. It proceeds in three parts, each reflecting one aspect of drought sensing in Cambodia and more broadly: hydrological, meteorological, and agricultural. First, how data on the Mekong River is shaped by regional geopolitics. Second, how national rainfall and flood data reflect the political geography of sub-national government administration. Third, how this multi-scalar landscape of political and institutional interests links data generation, data dissemination and adaptation policy, closing certain adaptation pathways, whilst opening others. • This paper examines data gaps, restrictions on data sharing, and restrictions on data dissemination. • This paper presents an agnotological perspective on the politics of data gaps and environmental policy generation. • It shows that drought policy development in Cambodia is influenced by control over environmental generation and circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa is particularly affected by climate change due to its exposure to climate hazards, high vulnerability, and low adaptive capacity. Yet, Africa is also a continent rich in Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) that has a long history of informing responses to climatic variability and change. This paper explores the extent to which ILK has been used in climate change adaptation in Africa. It deploys a bibliometric analysis to describe the connections between ILK and climatic change adaptation in Africa, complemented by an analysis of ILK literature and case studies. We consider four key dimensions of ILK, 1) type, 2) contexts of application, 3) value for adaptation, and 4) outcomes and effects in responses to climate change in Africa. Examples drawn from 19 countries across Africa highlight ILK systems are closely connected with biocultural relationships associated with observed patterns of climate change and where adaptation can be more effective when informed by ILK. This body of knowledge is critical to the delivery of climate change adaptation in Africa. The paper suggests some measures through which ILK may be more widely leveraged, both for improved adaptation outcomes, as well as enhancing the biocultural heritage value of ILK systems across Africa. The study commends the remarkable value of ILK in Africa for climate change adaptation and its value for supplementing climate services, particularly in areas with limited access to modern climate and weather forecasts as well as the encouragement of Indigenous communities to develop senses of ownership and active contribution to the sustainability of the future interventions. • Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Climate Change Adaptation in Africa. • The study commends the remarkable value of ILK in Africa for climate change adaptation. • its value for supplementing climate services particularly in areas with limited access to modern climate. • the paper concludes outlining measures through which ILK may be more widely leveraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new education paradigm derived from industry 4.0 indicates that personalised and engaging learning models should be applied to train employees so they can know the related concepts of this industry, have the necessary skills to perform adequately their tasks and correctly use the technologies and tools. This paper presents a qualitative analysis of existing frameworks for training through Serious Games. By analysing the frameworks identified in a previously conducted literature review, this paper shows the frameworks' dimensions, objectives, and trends. Gaps regarding the planned adaptation of Serious Games by the studied frameworks and the lack of relationship between learning outcomes and professional competencies were also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing assumption in urban studies literature is that the urban poor remain vulnerable to climate change impacts yet excluded from planning interventions and their formation. However, at present, there is dearth of research examining the adaptation practices by the urban poor in African cities. Focusing on Ghana's capital, Accra, the purpose of this study is fourfold: (i) to explore climate change literacy among the urban poor and local planning institutions; (ii) to examine the urban poor's perceptions on climatic events in Accra; (iii) to analyze autonomous adaptation measures to climate change impacts; and (iv) to assess planned adaptation measures to climate change impacts. This paper uses household surveys, secondary data analysis and agency interviews in two informal communities - Nima and Chorkor - in Accra as case studies. Underpinned by the social exclusion theory, the results show limited climate literacy despite widespread experience of climate change impacts by the urban poor. Most adaptation measures were community driven and autonomous while the limited institutional responses were both planned and autonomous. However, both community and institutional planning responses were ad-hoc, reactionary and unsustainable. The paper recommends consideration of community-based self-organizing adaptation measures into city plans to ensure that autonomous measures are complemented with planned adaptation strategies. In addition to stakeholder participation, collaborations and partnerships in climate change adaptation, pro-poor adaptation measures - both autonomous and planned remain imperative as they can contribute to inclusive and just climate change policy. • Urban poor remain vulnerable to climate change impacts. • They are excluded from climate planning action. • Adaptation measures were community driven and autonomous. • Institutional responses to climate change are unsustainable. • Stakeholder partnerships in pro-poor adaptation required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Climate change and dynamic government policy is compounding pressure on water resources in farming landscapes creating water scarcity. Successful adaptation to a more sustainable farming system in the face of water scarcity is not a foregone conclusion and requires choosing between short-term incremental change or more transformational options. In this paper, we propose a framework 'unpacking' four pathways that farmers might use to achieve sustainability: absorb, exploit, adapt and transform. Each pathway has specific attributes that relate to the type of farming system change undertaken. The framework is applied to 28 irrigation farmers from southern Murry Darling Basin, Australia, all facing water scarcity from drought and water policy. Using semi-structured interviews, we test the attributes and found they help understand farmers' pathway choices. We show that farmers use all four pathways, either singularly or simultaneously, to achieve a range of sustainability outcomes when facing a water crisis, although some are maladapted, and result in less sustainable outcomes. The study adds to the literature on pathways to sustainability by illustrating the need to clarify attributes that describe what each pathway means to farmers' decision-making and to consider multiple pathways, not just one, e.g. transformation. Policy implications are clear: there are various pathways to, or away from, farm sustainability. Therefore, policy interventions must be 'fit for purpose' and appropriately consider the diversity of farmer capacities and contexts. A focus on a single pathway or single technological fix will fail to deliver farm sustainability. This paper starts to develop a more specific and nuanced understanding of pathways to farm sustainability that reflect real life farming experiences with insight for policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is altering the context of human mobility due to disasters such as sea-level rise, forest fires, and other extreme events. It is also changing how places plan and adapt to these chaotic events. In this paper we examine how climate destinations, or host communities, are preparing for potential climate related in-migration in their climate adaptation planning. While no place will be left untouched by climate change, a number of cities and communities across Upstate New York consider themselves "climate havens" due to their lower risk to many climate impacts, such as sea level rise, access to freshwater resources, and infrastructure to accommodate growth. Within this context, what does it mean to plan a just climate haven? What types of policy and planning might be needed? How are planners and practitioners framing adaptation approaches? Using Q-methodology, we reveal two dominant perspectives among planners and activists in Upstate New York on how to plan just climate havens. The first is a transformational view that looks to address the social, political, and economic drivers of vulnerability. The second is a recognition view that looks to address legal and legislative shortcomings in how to support climate migrants. Points of consensus on how to build just climate havens between the two groups include co-production and co-design, workforce development, food security, and safe and affordable housing. We suggest that these two perspectives frame justice in two distinct—but overlapping—ways and provide a shared basis on how to consider planning a just climate haven. • Two perspectives frame how to plan just climate havens: Transformation and Recognition. • Perspectives unite around workforce development, food security, housing, and co-produced solutions, and material gains. • Climate destinations in Central New York need to build capacity to plan and adapt to future climate scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Paper explores the local state, a framework to connect analyses of state, market and civil society in communities below the national level. • The local state concept is employed here to assess climate change adaptation (CCA), focusing on a case study of water resources in Tucson, AZ. • The Tucson case examines rainwater harvesting and the role of the water industry, local government organizations and civil society groups. • Barriers to CCA can be explained in the context of pre-existing policies and the complex dynamics of the local state. As climate change becomes a more obvious existential threat to many communities, sharper tools are needed to analyze policymaking and especially the variations in effective adaptive planning. While policy creation, preparedness and disaster management are essentially local activities, much analysis simply focuses on cities and overlooks robust tools to understand what happens within communities of all types. This paper explores the local state, an analytical framework which can connect our understanding of state, market and civil society within communities below the level of the nation state. The local state concept is resurgent within the academic literature and this paper shows the potential of this analysis, drawing on empirical examples of climate change adaptation from Tucson AZ and New Orleans, coupled with broader discussion from several countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balconies have a vital role in achieving various environmental building functions. These functions are affected by external natural variables, besides the occupants' different preferences and needs. Using fixed balconies will certainly lead to ignoring these functions' achievements temporarily or permanently, besides if balconies are not prepared to accept changes, buildings' facades will be visually distorted and inconsistent temporarily or permanently when trying to deal with any of the various affecting variables on the balconies' functions. Designers and specialists should develop proper solutions to help balconies achieve the utmost continuity of their functions without conflicts, and they should help them accept the changes within pre-determined forms that lead to final homogenous facades of multi-options for each balcony. The paper aims to explore the abilities of balconies designs to achieve their different functions in the maximum possible continuity without conflicts to be applied and combined whenever needed. It is preferred to be achieved depending on natural stimuli or occupants' actions rather than energy-consuming devices. A model of a balcony was simulated to propose an adaptation process for two balcony functions during a summer day, noting that all other functions should be included for a comprehensive adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, enterprises are evolving in an interconnected ecosystem mainly characterized by turbulence. They undergo unprecedented acceleration in transformations to survive in this highly dynamic and competitive landscape. This disrupts the osmosis between the various intertwined levels of abstraction of the organisation (Strategy, Business, and Information System). Enterprise Architecture and Adaptive Enterprise Architecture, especially, are used to catalyse successive changes and to ensure scalability over time. In this context, it is compulsory for companies to sense the change proactively or reactively in early stages to respond to uncertainty. They need to build their knowledge by continuously absorbing information and data from internal and external sources. Thus, a sensing model must be devised to face enterprise needs. In this paper we propose a meta-model that formalizes the sensing capability to make smooth adaptation. We also present a model that supports adequate future enterprise architecture adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-use of climate information is often attributed to scientists failing to understand what decision-makers need. In response, co-production offers one promising method to improve the usability, and therein, use of climate information. Yet it remains unclear to what extent usability and use are linked, or if other factors influence the non-use of climate information. This paper critically examines two efforts to co-produce climate information for UK adaptation decision-making: the first and second cycles of the climate change risk assessment to gather evidence and then inform the national adaptation programme. To do this, a mixed methods approach was used: (i) textual analysis of official Government documents, and (ii) in-depth interviews with key actors. Our research found that the institutional-political context in which climate information is produced and used, played a significant role in defining who the user should be, how the data analysis was performed, and the extent to which that information was used. Just because something is co-produced does not mean it will be usable, nor does something that's usable automatically mean it will be used. Unless new research seeks to better understand how the modes of production (linear vs. co-production) influence the use of climate information, who uses it, and how it's used, questions will remain over whether the right barriers to climate inaction have been tackled. • Co-production promises to improve the usability and use of climate information. • We conducted an interview and document analysis of the UK's climate change risk assessments. • Use and usability of climate information differ. • More research is needed on the difference co-production makes to use and usability of climate information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The so-called global change refers to changes on a planetary scale. The term encompasses various issues like resource use, energy development, population growth, land use and land cover, carbon and nitrogen cycle, pollution and health, and climate change. The paper deals with challenges for dairy cattle production systems in Europe arising from climate change as one part of global changes. Global warming is increasing, and therefore ecosystems, plant and animal biodiversity, and food security and safety are at risk. It is already accepted knowledge that the direct and indirect effects of global warming in combination with an increasing frequency of weather extremes are a serious issue for livestock production, even in moderate climate zones like Central Europe. The potential and already-measurable effects of climate change (including increase in temperature, frequency of hot days and heat waves), in particular the challenges on grassland production, fodder quality, nutrition in general, cow welfare, health as well as performance of dairy production, will be reviewed. Indirect and direct effects on animals are correlated with their performance. There are clear indications that with selection for high-yielding animals the sensitivity to climate changes increases. Cumulative effects (e.g. higher temperature plus increased pathogen and their vectors loads) do strengthen these impacts. To cope with the consequences several possible adaptation and mitigation strategies must be established on different levels. This includes changes in the production systems (e.g. management, barn, feeding), breeding strategies and health management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for the global aviation sector to adapt and develop resilience to the potential impacts of climate change is gaining momentum. This paper expands on previous analysis by EUROCONTROL to further clarify the expected impacts for the sector. It identifies key questions to ask when considering a climate risk assessment, looks at developing a climate adaptation plan and identifies potential resilience measures. Finally, the paper presents the outcomes of a recent workshop on Adapting Aviation to a Changing Climate identifying four key priorities for action to develop climate change resilience. It concludes that identifying knowledge gaps, raising awareness and promoting collaboration are key steps in building climate change resilience for the aviation sector at both European and global level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa is one of the most vulnerable regions in respect of climate change. As the African continent struggles to adapt to climate change, a variety of measures are being pursued to alleviate the resultant pressures on people, properties and their livelihoods in several African cities. Collectively, they show that climate change adaptation in Africa is not as hopeless as widely claimed, and that there are some promising prospects. The literature shows a deficiency on studies which examine the extent to which climate change adaptation is being pursued in African cities. This paper addresses this need, and outlines some of the most important climate threats (e.g. increasing temperatures, droughts, sea level rise, sea and river flooding) and synergic non-climate factors, as well as recent progress made in respect of implementing climate change adaptation in African cities. Rather than adopt a general description of trends, this research focuses on concrete case studies from six major cities across the central, western, and eastern regions of the African continent (Douala, Lagos City, Dar-es-Salaam, Accra, Addis Ababa and Mombasa). The vulnerability and adaptive capacity status of the studied cities are discussed. Difficulties and challenges encountered in implementing adaptation policies in these areas are also highlighted. Furthermore, some successful examples of climate change adaptation initiatives in the surveyed cities are provided. Finally, the paper outlines some of the policy measures which can be implemented towards strengthening the capacity of African cities to adapt to a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discourse on vulnerability to climate change presents many complexities. Among these are the constant tension between policy makers and academics. This paper unpacks these complexities in order to analyze how Small Island Developing States (SIDS) deal with the notion of vulnerability at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The lack of a clear definition of vulnerability at the UNFCCC has created many tensions among developing countries because the notion of vulnerability is associated with financial and technical resource distribution. However, on a strategic level SIDS have had to demonstrate their vulnerabilities within the UNFCCC in order to remain relevant and compete with other groups for these resources. This paper highlights some of these tensions, especially among developing countries, through an in-depth analysis of vulnerability within academia and foreign policy through the UNFCCC. We argue that competing definitions of vulnerability by academics and policymakers evoke different methodologies for understanding and measuring vulnerability. Further, we find that within the UNFCCC, prioritizing mitigation policies over adaptation has increased SIDS’ vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically explores the linkage between the economic opportunities and climate adaptation and other antecedents in cities. Our dependent variable includes the economic opportunities identified by the cities; our independent variables are the adaptation plans, adaptation actions, climate change risks, incentive types, and incentivized stakeholders. To explore the effects of climate change risks, adaptation plans, adaptation actions, incentive types, and incentivized stakeholders, we used polychoric factor analysis and logistic regression analysis. The results show that a city's climate change adaptation plan and GDP have significant positive relationships with the economic opportunities present in the cities. Meanwhile, climate change risks also have a positive relationship with economic opportunities. Furthermore, economic opportunities present in cities have a negative relationship with three variables: one group of climate actions and two groups of stakeholders. This paper also further discusses the possible effects of incentives in the case of climate change in cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some coastal cities there is an urgent need to decide on adaptation investments given the long periods needed to complete the relevant infrastructures. However such decisions are usually made under significant uncertainty due to local climate change and socio-economic impacts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has developed four global scenarios according to different representative concentration pathways (RCPs); however, using these scenarios directly is equivalent to using incomplete information in the decision-making process because they do not provide information on what sea level rise behavior is most probable. In this study, I propose a model which assigns probabilities to IPCC scenarios with Local Sea Level Rise (LSLR) information. I obtain expected damage and risk measures for the world's 120 major coastal mega-cities at specific moments in time. That is, I consider uncertainty in both scenario selection and within each scenario. With this information it is possible to make adaptation investment decisions under uncertainty with a criterion of not exceeding certain risk levels in the future. The paper shows that in the year 2100 for the equal probability mixed scenario (25% RCP 2.6, 50% RCP 4.5 and 25 RCP 8.5) the expected damage is US$ 1,251,732 millions for New Orleans and US$ 1,196,517 millions for Guangzhou. The risk measurements show that in that year the damage in the 5% of worse cases will be US$ 2,800,756 millions for Guangzhou and US$ 1,832,466 millions for New Orleans. However, not all countries have sufficient resources to make the necessary adaptation investments, so we analyze expected damage and risk according to World Bank country income groups. The paper shows that the USA and China will need to make major adaptation investments in the future. The coastal LSLR risk in lower-income cities is also calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vulnerability of a socio-ecological system to one or more climatic hazards depends on climatic, geophysical, socio-economic and institutional factors. In addition, vulnerability is a scale- and place-dependent concept. While decision-making on adaptation is often made by local government, only a small number of local-scale assessments have been conducted. When indicators are used, global utility functions based on additive or multiplicative aggregation implicitly assume complete compensation between indicators, implying that one source of vulnerability (e.g., proximity to the sea) can always be compensated for by an advantage in another source (e.g., strong social or economic capital) when evidence shows that this is not always the case. This paper presents an indicator-based assessment of vulnerability of eight beaches in Shoalhaven, New South Wales, that are especially exposed to sea level rise. Its goal is twofold. First, it illustrates how indicator-based vulnerability assessments can be applied at a local scale – and not just sectoral, regional and national scales – with the aim of informing local government adaptation planning and resource allocation. In the process, models operationalising the concepts of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity are developed for two valued attributes identified through discussions with the local council, namely the well-being of beach residents and the well-being of users of infrastructure systems located at the beaches. Second, the paper studies, for the first time, the way outranking procedures can be applied in real-life vulnerability assessments as a form of data aggregation that better reflects the non-compensatory nature of many vulnerability indicators. The strengths and weaknesses of the outranking approach are discussed, especially the extent to which the concepts of preference, indifference and dominance thresholds can be conveyed to, and their values elicited from, stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local government organisations in coastal Australia have historically commissioned studies aimed at understanding risks in their locality to future sea level rise as a starting point for developing adaptation strategies to climate change. Therefore, the success of the overall adaptation activities of local government are strongly influenced by the way those initial risk studies are scoped and conducted, and how the outputs of those studies underpin subsequent adaptation planning activities within the organization. Mainstreaming of adaptation planning activities within local government is critical in terms of getting stakeholder support and required resources for its implementation. This paper analyses a sample of these coastal risk assessment studies across seven states and territories in Australia, with an aim to critically investigate the current state of practice among coastal local governments. First, we develop a typology of studies that have been undertaken by or for practitioners to understand coastal climate change risks, and discuss the applicability of the studies within the policy-making context of local government. Second, we identify a set of sample studies from the ‘grey literature’ through a systematic process and investigate to what extent they adhere to best practice risk management guidelines and principles, such as ISO31000. Third, we interview stakeholders from top performing studies to identify how/if the risk studies helped their organization in progressing their adaptation planning. We find that there is a significant inconsistency among terminologies in the coastal climate change risk assessment unpublished literature as studies use “risk”, vulnerability” and “hazard” concepts interchangeably despite their separate objectives and aims. Most studies perform poorly in evaluating risk against broader organizational criteria. Subsequently, it is difficult to integrate the findings of such studies into a broader organizational risk register, limiting opportunities for identified coastal climate change risks to be integrated into councils’ long-term strategic decision making. Conversely, the follow up interviews of studies that performed well in scoping and consultation in our assessment demonstrate that these aspects were beneficial to stakeholders in terms of informing adaptation planning. Importantly, the findings presented in this paper confirm the need for a consistent risk assessment approach for local councils in the coastal zone to underpin successful adaptation planning. This is a critical issue, not only for Australia, but for local government organisations globally given that sea level rise is a projected threat for all populated coastal regions worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban heat island (UHI) is a phenomenon whereby temperature levels in urban areas are higher than in surrounding rural settings. Urban heat islands are a matter of increasing concern, since they can affect communities by exacerbating air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions (due to the greater use of air conditioning) and the occurrence of heat-related illness, and may lead to higher levels of mortality. This paper provides a description of the phenomena of (UHI) and an analysis of how cities are vulnerable to it. It highlights the need for resilience and the variety of means by which the UHI can be tackled. It describes a set of trends in two regions in Germany and Australia, which illustrate the scope of the problem in the northern and southern hemispheres, and the scale of vulnerability. Then, existing UHI vulnerability assessments are analysed to highlight common features and differences. Based on this, we propose a classification of adaptability parameters to support vulnerability assessments. The paper also discusses current mitigation approaches mentioned in the literature, and how these address some vulnerabilities. It concludes that both a better understanding of the UHI phenomena and consideration of the particular context of each city is needed to make urban areas more resilient to UHI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an innovative framework is introduced for assessing the impact of climate change on coastal structures, with a primary emphasis on modeling future climate conditions. The framework encompasses several key components: the development of a new climate emulator to facilitate multivariate extreme value analysis; a hybrid statistical–numerical wave propagation strategy; and the integration of a novel compound modeling approach specific to coastal structure sites. These advancements are designed to effectively manage multiple climate scenarios and models within the context of high uncertainty. The methodology is applied and validated for a coastal structure located on the Mediterranean coast in Spain. Focusing on compound wave and sea-level events, the projections indicate an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme conditions, exacerbating coastal impacts such as wave overtopping. For instance, the present-day 500-year coastal flooding level would be associated with a return period of 50 years by mid-century under a stabilization scenario and would be further reduced to 25 years under a high-emission global warming scenario, resulting in important consequences for structure performance if no adaptation is implemented. • Develops a framework for assessing the impact of climate change on coastal structures. • It develops a new climate emulator to facilitate multivariate extreme value analysis. • It encompasses a hybrid statistical–numerical wave propagation strategy. • It integrates a novel compound modeling approach specific to coastal structures sites. • It has been applied and validated for a coastal structure in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deployable structures belong to a special class of moveable structures that are capable of form and size change. Controlling movement of deployable structures is important for successful deployment, in-service adaptation and safety. In this paper, measurements and control methodologies contribute to the development of an efficient learning strategy and a damage-compensation algorithm for a deployable tensegrity structure. The general motivation of this work is to develop an efficient bio-inspired control framework through real-time measurement, adaptation, and learning. Building on previous work, an enhanced deployment algorithm involves re-use of control commands in order to reduce computation time for mid-span connection. Simulations are integrated into a stochastic search algorithm and combined with case-reuse as well as real-time measurements. Although data collection requires instrumentation, this methodology performs significantly better than without real-time measurements. This paper presents the procedure and generally applicable methodologies to improve deployment paths, to control the shape of a structure through optimization, and to control the structure to adapt after a damage event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses and assesses how existing policies and approaches in South Asia consider long-term climate change adaptation. Presently, it is unclear what approaches are used in the existing policies to cope with the future climatic changes. Our research framework consists of two components. First, we identify and define key characteristics of adaptation policy approaches based on a review of scientific journal articles. The key characteristics identified are institutional flexibility, adaptive nature, scalability and reflexivity. Second, we analyse the presence of these characteristics in the climate change adaptation policies of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Our findings show that the four South Asian countries contribute to only 8% of the total journal articles on adaptation policy, with least papers representing Pakistan and Nepal. Reviewing the adaptation policies, we find that except for the Climate Change Policy of Nepal, none of the policies discusses transboundary scale adaptation approaches. The identified adaptation policies lack focus on shared transboundary resources between the countries, and instead focus at national or sub-national scale. This is reflected by relatively low scores for the scalability characteristic. All the countries show high scores for institutional flexibility, suggesting that changing roles and responsibilities between government agencies for adaptation planning and implementation is accepted in the four countries. We conclude that to prevent a loss of flexibility and to promote scalability of shared transboundary resources, policy approaches such as anticipatory governance, robust decision-making, and adaptation pathways can be useful for long-term climate change adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food systems will need to undergo considerable transformation. To be better prepared for and resilient to uncertainty and disturbances in the future, resource users and managers need to further develop knowledge about the food and farming system, with its dominating feedback structures and complexities, and to test robust and integrated system-based solutions. This paper investigates how participatory system dynamics modeling can be adapted to groups at the community level with low or no formal educational background. The paper also analyses the refinement of workshop participants’ mental models as a consequence of a participatory system dynamics intervention. For this purpose, we ran two workshops with small-scale farmers in Zambia. Analysis of workshop data and post-workshop interviews shows that participatory system dynamics is well adaptable to support an audience-specific learning-by-doing approach. The use of pictures, objects and water glasses in combination with the basic aspects of causal loop diagramming makes for a well-balanced toolbox. Participants acquire understanding that is also relevant beyond systems thinking in that it offers a range of practical insights such as a critical evaluation of common food security strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relative importance of productive and adaptive traits in beef breeding systems based on Bos taurus and tropically adapted breeds across temperate and (sub)tropical environments. In the (sub)tropics, differences that exist between breeds in temperate environments are masked by the effects of environmental stressors. Hence in tropical environments, breeds are best categorised into breed types to compare their performance across environments. Because of the presence of environmental stressors, there are more sources of genetic variation in tropical breeding programmes. It is therefore necessary to examine the genetic basis of productive and adaptive traits for breeding programmes in those environments. This paper reviews the heritabilities and genetic relationships between economically important productive and adaptive traits relevant to (sub)tropical breeding programmes. It is concluded that it is possible to simultaneously genetically improve productive and adaptive traits in tropically adapted breeds of beef cattle grazed in tropical environments without serious detrimental consequences for either adaptation or production. However, breed-specific parameters are required for genetic evaluations. The paper also reviews the magnitude of genotype × environment (G × E) interactions impacting on production and adaptation of cattle, where ‘genotype’ is defined as breed (within a crossbreeding system), sire within breed (in a within-breed selection programme) or associations between economically important traits and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs – within a marker-assisted selection programme). It is concluded that re-ranking of breeds across environments is best managed by the use of the breed type(s) best suited to the particular production environment. Re-ranking of sires across environments is apparent in poorly adapted breed types across extreme tropical and temperate environments or where breeding animals are selected in a temperate environment for use in the (sub)tropics. However, G × E interactions are unlikely to be of major importance in tropically adapted beef cattle grazed in either temperate or (sub)tropical environments, although sex × environment interactions may provide new opportunities for differentially selecting to simultaneously improve steer performance in benign environments and female performance in harsher environments. Early evidence suggests that re-ranking of SNPs occurs across temperate and tropical environments, although their magnitude is still to be confirmed in well-designed experiments. The major limitation to genetic improvement of beef cattle over the next decade is likely to be a deficiency of large numbers of accurately recorded phenotypes for most productive and adaptive traits and, in particular, for difficult-to-measure adaptive traits such as resistance to disease and environmental stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, an overview of the wide variety of occurrences of mental models in the literature is discussed. They are classified according to two dimensions obtaining four categories of them: static-dynamic and world-mental, where static refers to mental models for static world states or for static mental states and dynamic refers to mental models for world processes or for mental processes. In addition, distinctions are made for what can be done by mental models: they can, for example, be (1) used for internal simulation, they can be (2) adapted, and these processes can be (3) controlled. This leads to a global three-level cognitive architecture covering these three ways of handling mental models. It is discussed that in this cognitive architecture reflection principles play an important role to define the interactions between the different levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the effect of inherent uncertainty on the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a policy aimed at reducing expected climate change impacts. To do this, it relates outcome uncertainty to the probability of occurrence of one of these impacts within a given time horizon. Unlike the existing studies, this paper links outcome uncertainty to the uncontrollable component of environmental uncertainty derived from the stochastic nature of an ecosystem's behavior. Results show that the WTP for the policy in the presence of uncertainty does not decrease compared to the scenario where climate change impacts are assumed to occur with certainty. This suggests individuals are adopting a precautionary attitude when stating their WTP. Thus, the paper provides economic justification for preventive measures in highly uncertain contexts. However, findings are not conclusive with respect to the influence of the degree of uncertainty on the support for such measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scenarios are valuable tools that could support decision making under deep uncertainty, nevertheless, their potential remains untapped. The paper explores whether participatory scenario construction in the form of stories coupled with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2100 projections may contribute to increased utility of the scenarios and projections for climate-induced risk reduction, in the Nile Basin. The Nile River is 6,695 kilometres long and covers a basin area of 3.18 million square kilometres (one-tenth of the African land mass). The basin is highly susceptible to climate-change induced disasters. According to the IPCC, there is high confidence that the Basin will suffer from severe shifts in biome distribution, compounded water stress, degradation of marine life and reduced crop productivity. There is also medium confidence that the Nile Basin will experience: severe decline in livestock, significant increase in vector and water-borne diseases, undernutrition, increased migration and sea level rise. The basin is already experiencing some of these key risks, on the other hand, their impact in the next 30 to 35 years is deeply uncertain. The findings of this paper are based on four scenarios, namely: Kazuri, Miskeen, Umoja and EjoHeza and data collected from two forums that were held in Jinja, Uganda and Nairobi, Kenya. The forum participants were a multi-disciplinary team of national and international stakeholders. The paper concludes that coupling Nile Basin storylines with the IPCC 2100 projections, proved to be an effective tool in increasing the utility of the scenarios and projections, for purposes of disaster risk reduction. Future work will entail analysing the uptake of the scenarios to resolve deadlocks and enhance cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new fully-automated adaptation strategy for structural topology optimization (TO) methods. In this work, TO is based on the SIMP method on unstructured tetrahedral meshes. The SIMP density gradient is used to locate solid-void interface and h -adaptation is applied for a better definition of this interface and, at the same time, de-refinement is performed to coarsen the mesh in fully solid and void regions. Since the mesh is no longer uniform after such an adaptation, classical filtering techniques have to be revisited to ensure mesh-independency and checkerboard-free designs. Using this adaptive scheme improves the objective function minimization and leads to a higher resolution in the description of the optimal shape boundary (solid-void interface) at a lower computational cost. This paper combines a 3D implementation of the SIMP method for unstructured tetrahedral meshes with an original mesh adaptation strategy. The approach is validated on several examples to illustrate its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fascioloidosis is an allochthonous parasitic disease in Europe caused by the digenean trematode Fascioloides magna. The final hosts of F. magna in Europe are defined as definitive, aberrant and dead-end. Roe deer are aberrant hosts in which juvenile flukes permanently migrate through the liver parenchyma. Failure in pseudocysts formation leads to the death of both the host and the parasite. In this paper we present gross and histological findings of F. magna infection in 34 roe deer. The special emphasis is on the pseudocyst formation accompanied with new fluke's migratory channels observed in 7 animals, suggesting reinfection and prolonged survival of roe deer. No F. magna eggs were recovered from the faeces of the infected animals. These findings indicate that pseudocyst formation is essential for roe deer survival, but also point out the potential beginning of adaptation processes in roe deer, altering otherwise acute and fatal disease into a chronic one. [Display omitted] • Allochthonous parasite. • Roe deer and F. magna in some parts of Europe form relatively new host-parasite association. • F. magna as a high risk for local survival of roe deer. • Pseudocyst formation and reinfection as indicators of chronic infection and prolonged survival of infected roe deer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes and summarizes the results of the study of the features of the functioning and transformation of a particular type of spatial systems, namely anthropogenic. These systems are formed for different purposes of human activity. Refinements of basic definitions are offered and it is shown that stability of functioning for such systems is the most significant indicator of their existence. The ability of anthropogenic systems to self-development and the influence of self-development on their transformation under the influence of internal and external influences and factors are considered. Proposals for the application of methodological foundations of system diagnostics of the state and transformation of anthropogenic spatial systems, as well as the possibility of their algorithmization and information support are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There is a desire for more collaborative and adaptive processes in freshwater pollution management in Dhaka. • Overlapping jurisdictional claims and mandates in Dhaka make concerted action difficult. • Water sector actors feel pressure to make progress on water pollution management. • Time constraints and difficulties in collaboration further exacerbate existing pressure. This paper critically assesses the capacity of water sector actors in Dhaka to further support more collaborative and adaptive approaches to emerging freshwater pollution management challenges. Socio-economic, demographic and environmental changes (e.g., flooding) pose substantial and shifting barriers to effective freshwater pollution management in Dhaka, with direct implications for population health. We draw on the insights from 25 semi-structured interviews with government, non-government, industry and academic key informants to: (1) examine current levels of engagement and collaboration among key stakeholders in the freshwater pollution management context; (2) assess the subsequent capacity of those actors to adapt to challenging conditions and to improve water pollution management; and (3) consider the opportunities to enhance current institutional arrangements in ways that build linkages among key stakeholders across levels and sectors. Our research highlights a general interest among participants for more collaborative and adaptive processes in freshwater pollution management in Dhaka. However, findings also highlight the pressure water sector actors feel about the time required to make progress on water pollution management challenges, and the concern that collaboration will exacerbate those challenges. Furthermore, our findings show the overlapping jurisdictional claims and mandates in Dhaka that make concerted action difficult, and that ultimately undermine clarity for collaborative and adaptive action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive management and related fields have theorized new governance strategies that embrace complexity and are able to respond effectively to changing and unpredictable biophysical dynamics. However, this body of work pays inadequate attention to important on-the-ground realities, including feasibility of implementation and the power dynamics embedded in multi-scalar systems of environmental governance. This paper presents findings from a research project on challenges to adaptive management in the variable wetland ecosystem of the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Many residents of this rural region rely on transitional agricultural practices, shifting between dryland and floodplain farming in response to dynamic precipitation and flooding patterns. Higher than average floods in 2009–2011 inundated many floodplain fields past the point of production, causing farmers to shift to the dryland for multiplem seasons. At the same time, the highly centralized Government of Botswana began to implement stricter regulations over floodplain resources, which stemmed in part from a new adaptive management plan developed for the region. As a result, many farmers felt pressured by the government to abandon transitional livelihood practices and to shift permanently to dryland agriculture even though many preferred to continue floodplain farming. This loss of a responsive livelihood strategy will likely result in decreased long-term adaptive capacity for many residents. Drawing on these findings, this paper advances the argument that if adaptive management is to become a viable option for communities in changing environments, more attention must be given to the role of unequal power relations in multi-scalar systems of environmental governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this proof of concept paper, we address the potential role of forests and vegetation cover as an adaptation tool. In contrast to work addressing the carbon benefits of afforestation, we highlight the potential usefulness of forests as major contributors to the water cycle. Integrating water and carbon cycle benefits into a common objective enhances discussions about the role and value of forests. Herein, we describe a method for increasing regional precipitation in semi-arid environments, thereby potentially helping to increase scarce water resources. The approach capitalizes on observed interactions between forest cover and the hydrologic cycle, with the express aim of returning much needed water resources to an increasingly vulnerable region. The natural processes behind “precipitation recycling” (PR), and vegetation based cross continental transport of atmospheric moisture form the core of this solution. Induced precipitation recycling (IPR) initiates these processes by irrigating afforested land using locally available surplus water. This paper discusses the underlying processes and a proposed demonstration project that functions as both a “proof of concept” and a research testing ground, providing potential validation for promoting future expansion to the wider region. The proposed IPR project utilizes treated wastewater and surplus storm run-off, thus averting additional burdens on the existing water supply, while performing additionally valuable environmental and ecosystem services. IPR provides an alternative approach to supplement existing and typically far costlier plans to address regional water shortages and handle wastewater treatment. The proposed integrated solution would not only contribute positively to regional water supply, but would also provide additional eco-system services and end-products that add value and utility, thereby improving the project’s potential economic viability. This project should be of particular interest to land use and water management planners in the Los Angeles Basin area for whom it is conceived, as well as to those along much of the coastal region in California where climate change-driven drought cycles have been increasing in length and intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change economics is now four decades old. Much of what it has achieved as a field of academic enquiry can be linked back to issues of integrated assessment modelling. This paper shows that the standard approach is going through a major change in scope as of the last five years. The conventional focus on determining optimal mitigation paths based on modelling the social cost of carbon is being enlarged to embrace promising new waves of research. These are: (1) the economics of insurance against catastrophic risks; (2) the economics of trade and climate; and (3) the economics of climate change adaptation. The paper helps to bridge the gap between economics and climate policy by showing that the analytical toolkit of climate change economics has shifted towards more realistic representations of climatic policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal 'blue carbon' ecosystem resources are rich carbon stores, offer extensive benefits beyond carbon sequestration, and are marginalized in global markets and policy mechanisms. The participation of blue carbon project activities in international market frameworks is limited by a dearth of appropriate research across disciplinary boundaries, particularly in terms of the cultural and political dynamics that affect project implementation. The socially and politically charged contexts of many developing countries constrain project opportunities, and understanding specific local governance dynamics is therefore of critical importance to policy makers, development practitioners, and the private sector. This paper applies a systems-based political ecology research and analytical approach to explore the social and political dynamics affecting the potential development of blue carbon projects in a proposed marine reserve in Sabah, Malaysia. The investigative focus is situated in its historical context, described and mapped as an influence system in collaboration with local experts, with the elements of that system then explored in detail, through a workshop, survey, and interviews with a diverse range of local stakeholders. Key findings include that historical realities play a vital role in present relationships; effective governance is likely to require international collaboration to minimize inequity and corruption; race and religion continue to be used as tools of political imperialism; and dominant actors in Sabah would be well advised to recognize the growing, informed cohesion of Sabahan society, and its drive for equitable, ecologically sustainable development. The paper contributes a novel methodological approach to sustainability science research, provides unique data on a case study area relevant to climate change policy, and identifies important leverage points for the development of blue carbon finance and policy instruments in South-East Asia and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First analysis to depict key attributes driving successful local adaptation planning. • Stakeholder engagement as main attribute leading to effective adaptation planning. • Small population may improve stakeholder engagement and thus the adaptation plans. Current trends in climate change indicate that the impact on the most vulnerable systems will increase. Urban areas, which concentrate population, economic activity and infrastructures, are sometimes at high-risk locations. Yet they are to be considered as vulnerable systems in need of harmonized structures supporting their efforts towards mitigating climate effects and/or adapting their territories to them. One current structure is the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (CoM) initiative, tackling in a global and harmonized way local adaptation to climate change. Do CoM cities that developed acceptable climate change adaptation plans have similar characteristics? It is still unclear which might be the drivers or key attributes potentially leading to successful planning within the initiative. In this paper, we explore attributes of the first 51 cities that have submitted their adaptation plans to CoM, in order to identify common elements among accepted plans. Therefore, our hypothesis is that there must be attributes determining the acceptance of adaptation plans. In order to do so, the cities were classified as compliant and non-compliant with the CoM principles. Fisher's and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests were applied to identify attributes that are statistically different between both groups. Results show that the engagement of multiple stakeholders and citizens, particularly at the local level, might significantly facilitate the acceptance of adaptation plans in the initiative. We also found that the benefits of stakeholder and citizen engagement could be greater in small municipalities because citizens and stakeholders have more opportunities to participate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Adaptation pathways have become recognised as sequences of actions, which can be implemented progressively, depending on future dynamics • Pathways can be alternatives towards a defined objective or broad directions of change for different strategic outcomes • Pathways approaches orientate around performance-thresholds, multiple-stakeholders or transformation • Pathways are developed to meet adaptation needs, promote collaborative learning and /or enable transformations • Reflexive learning is needed on pathways approaches to realise their potential in different decision contexts. Adaptation pathways have experienced growing popularity as a decision-focussed approach in climate adaptation research and planning. Despite the increasing and broadening use of adaptation pathways reported in the literature, there has not yet been a systematic attempt to review, compare and contrast approaches to adaptation pathways design and their application. In this paper we address this gap through a literature review of conceptual and applied studies of adaptation pathways in the context of climate change. Adaptation pathways started to be conceptualised in 2010. They have become recognised as sequences of actions, which can be implemented progressively, depending on how the future unfolds and the development of knowledge. A difference between scholars is whether pathways are understood as alternative sequences of measures to realise a well-defined adaptation objective, or as broad directions of change for different strategic aims or outcomes. Analysis of case studies on adaptation pathways development showed three clusters of approaches: (a) performance-threshold oriented, (b) multi-stakeholder oriented, and (c) transformation oriented approaches. These broadly correspond to three desired outcomes of pathways development: (i) meeting short and long-term adaptation needs, (ii) promoting collaborative learning, adaptive planning and adaptive capacity, (iii) accounting for complexity and long-term change, including a potential need for transformation. Yet, as of now there is little evidence of the utility of different approaches for pathways development in different decision contexts. Scholars appear to be guided more by how they understand the adaptation problem and by what approaches are known to them, than by the context of the case. Attention is needed on who defines objectives and outcomes for pathway development. Based on the review, we present a learning framework to guide systematic reflection about why and how adaptation pathways are developed. Lessons learned by application of the framework will enable refinement of pathways approaches to make full use of the potential in different decision contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Previous studies on contamination spread by flooding undercount sites. • 3.3 million people are at risk of contamination from flooding in US urban areas. • Due to changes in urbanization and climate change these figures are likely to increase. • These risks pose complex challenges for environmental managers and urban planners. Climate change is imposing substantial consequences across physical and social infrastructures. The extent of social disruption and risk to human health are, however, potentially much broader than these general consequences, taken individually, would suggest. To address this gap, we assess the distribution of contaminated sites in the United States (US) and then estimate the impact that flood hazards in urban areas will have on these contaminated sites. Using these measures, we draw inferences about the risk of contamination from climate-impacted extreme weather events, climate adaptation at the local level, social risk and how it is distributed, and a broader understanding of the potential global consequences of climate change. In this paper we address three critical points: 1) the role classification of contaminated sites on our understanding of risk due to climate change; 2) the relationship between contaminated sites and flood risk; and 3) the potential for climate adaption strategies to mediate this risk. We estimate that of the roughly one-third of the US population living in urban areas, up to 3,338,518 people, are living in high-risk flood zones near contaminated sites. Our results suggest severe potential implications for estimates of the negative consequences from climate change and contamination and provide critical insights into the relationship between climate change and the built environment for urban planners and environmental policy makers and managers alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful adaptation to environmental change and variability is closely connected with social groups’ ability to act collectively, but many social-ecological challenges exceed local adaptive capacity which necessitate assistance from governmental institutions. Few studies have investigated how local collective action can be used to enrol external support for adaptation. This paper reduces this research gap by analysing a locally driven adaptation process in response to coastal erosion in Monkey River Village, Belize. Drawing on literature on adaptation and political ecology, we examine the different strategies the local residents have used over time to influence government authorities to support them in curbing the coastal erosion. Our findings show that the local mobilisation generated government support for a temporary sea defence and that collective strategies emerge as a response to threats to a place specific way of life. Our case illustrates that it was essential that the villagers could ally with journalists, researchers and local NGOs to make their claims for protection heard by the government. The paper contributes to adaptation research by arguing that local collective action, seen as contestation over rights to protection from environmental change, can be a means for places and communities not prioritised by formal policies to enrol external support for adaptation. Our study supports and adds to the perspective that attention to formal arrangements such as adaptation policy alone has limited explanatory power to understand collective responses to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptation is now firmly embedded in the societal discourse regarding the management of climate risk. In this discourse, adaptation planning and implementation at the local level are seen as particularly important for developing robust responses to climate change. However, it is not clear whether the mantra that adaptation is local holds true given the multi-level nature of climate risk governance. Using a multi-method approach, this paper examines the extent to which adaptation should be framed as a local issue and, specifically, the role of local government in adaptation relative to other actors. In so doing, the paper first explores the extent to which the local framing of adaptation is embedded in the international adaptation literature. This is followed by a specific case study from Southeast Queensland, Australia, which focuses on the critical examination of the processes of responsibility shifting and taking among actors involved in coastal adaptation planning. Results indicate the assumption that adaptation is local remains widely held in adaptation science, although counter arguments can be readily identified. Interviews with adaptation actors revealed unclear divisions of responsibility for climate change adaptation as a significant constraint on actors’ willingness to implement adaptation. Furthermore, attributing responsibility for adaptation to local actors might not necessarily be a robust strategy, due to the existence of particularly strong constraints and value conflicts at local levels of governance. Greater appreciation by researchers and practitioners for the interactions between local actors and those at higher levels of governance in shaping response capacity may contribute to more equitable and effective allocations of responsibilities for adaptation action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a new approach to water management that is ‘Safe & SuRe’. This includes presenting a conceptual framework to link the emerging threats of climate change and variability, rapid urbanization and population growth, energy constraint and tightening environmental regulation through to their consequences on social, economic and environmental recipients. The framework allows identification of the role and need for mitigation, adaptation and coping strategies. The paper proposes definitions and discusses what engineering, organizational and/or social options can potentially develop the degree of resilience and sustainability needed to deal with these 21st century threats. The paper goes on to propose how these approaches might be objectively assessed and identifies gaps in our knowledge that require further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue carbon – the carbon stored and sequestered in mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, and tidal salt marshes – is considered a cost-effective means to achieve positive climate change mitigation and adaptation outcomes. Blue carbon is therefore of considerable interest to the scientific and policy communities, and is frequently discussed in relation to carbon markets and climate finance opportunities. This paper identifies peer-reviewed and ‘gray literature’ documents that discuss blue carbon in the context of finance and market mechanisms. The document set is analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively, and the principal scientific, economic, regulatory, social, and management issues that emerge are discussed. The study reveals that (1) the blue carbon literature is dominated by technical and policy commentary, with a dearth of research into practical social considerations and a stark absence of private sector perspectives; (2) there is confusion over the nature and role of important concepts including private and public sector finance and instruments; and (3) understanding of the important issues of investment priorities and risk considerations is also limited. This paper therefore identifies gaps in the blue carbon literature, clarifies critical concepts and issues, and proposes novel pathways for blue carbon research and project development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We present a multi-disciplinary collaborative approach for developing a regional scale climate adaptation plan with the health and wellbeing sector. • This includes an innovative engagement and policy mapping strategy. • We demonstrate the application of this approach for developing climate change adaptation plan for health and wellbeing sector in Queensland, Australia. • We find that direct engagement between various key stakeholders is a critical element of translating scientific evidence of climate change impacts on human health into a regional adaptation policy for the health and wellbeing sector. The science of climate change and its impacts on health makes it clear that human health and wellbeing will be increasingly negatively impacted as a result of climate change. The health and wellbeing sector must respond to these growing pressures in order to continue to provide safe, quality care. Adaptation and mitigation policies need to be developed at different scales, including at a regional government level. Numerous challenges exist; for example, the necessity for collaboration between multiple agencies across scales, the tailoring of policies to the health issues specific to regions, and constraints on existing regional and local resources and adaptive capacities, to name a few. This paper presents a multi-disciplinary collaborative approach used to develop a regional scale climate adaptation plan with the health sector. Starting from a scientific understanding of climate change impact on the health sector in Queensland, Australia, the approach used an innovative engagement strategy to a) better understand awareness of relevant stakeholders about current and future climate change impact on the health of the population and on service provision, b) identify on-ground barriers to effective adaptation faced by the sector stakeholders, c) identify opportunities and benefits which would arise from adaptation, and d) identify what conditions or support stakeholders required to overcome those barriers, take advantage of opportunities, and achieve benefits from adaptation. Analysis of these findings guided the development of specific policy directions for the sector. We found direct engagement between various key stakeholders such as health service providers (e.g. hospitals), critical infrastructure providers, academics, local government authorities, and sub-sectors such as aged care and early childhood care facilities, was a critical element of translating scientific evidence of climate change impacts on human health into a regional adaptation policy for the health and wellbeing sector. The resulting policy, grounded in the reality and experience of health and wellbeing sector stakeholders, reflects their insights and concerns, and served to develop a level of sectoral 'ownership' (not 'top-down' imposition) which will be important for its successful ongoing development and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]