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Climate change is expected to intensify existing problems and create new combinations of risks, particularly in Africa, where there is widespread poverty and dependence on the natural environment. Accordingly, there is a growing need for proactive adaptation to climate change risks. In order to achieve this, the requisite competence needs to be developed on the use and interpretation of climate information to support informed decisions. The present paper assesses the extent to which climate change scenarios are currently used in developing adaptation strategies within the agricultural development sector, with a focus on Africa. The data, based on interviews with practitioners and donors working in the climate change field in Africa, suggest that although annual climate information (such as seasonal climate forecasts) is used to a certain extent to inform and support some decisions, climate change scenarios are rarely used at present in agricultural development. However, respondents suggest a number of ways to improve the application of climate change science in these endeavors; these include strengthening technical skills for downscaling climate models, as well as using scenario outputs to develop and prioritize robust locally relevant adaptation strategies to provide examples of 'good' adaptation practice. Improved understanding, packaging, and communication of climate scenarios are required between scientists, practitioners, policymakers and civil society, both within areas in the global south as well as between the global south and north. In addition, we argue that a paradigmatic shift is required from supply-driven activities to a user-focused approach that addresses decision makers' needs for climate change data. Such a shift would focus on generating the information required to provide actionable suggestions to formulate viable adaptation policies and reduce the negative consequences of climate change, particularly for Africa's most vulnerable groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK uplands are highly sensitive and significant cultural landscapes that have been created by woodland clearance for agriculture and are at threat from fire, over-grazing, mineral extraction, land drainage, air pollution and recreation. Some of these activities increase upland sensitivity to climate change, contributing to increased flood risk, or soil carbon losses. Many distinct areas of public policy impinge on the uplands, but most have yet to integrate climate change protection within their objectives. Placed within the emerging ecosystems services perspective, policies could be modified to deliver land management services to secure soil carbon stocks, and to protect the goods, services and functions that uplands deliver. There are, therefore, both new opportunities and threats to tackle. The present paper outlines climate sensitivity and change in the uplands; reviews adaptation and mitigation options; and considers available policy, information and management tools. Within an ecosystems framework, emphasis is placed on safeguarding key regulatory services. We offer a research agenda to support adaptation and outline measures that could be developed within existing regulatory frameworks, or signal where policies may need revision. Research priorities include better quantification of carbon fluxes under different soils and land management practices, techniques for up-scaling local interventions to quantify landscape-scale benefits, and the evaluation of adaptive responses in the context of sustainable land use. Potential adaptation strategies include improved spatial planning for land and water, the creation of networked habitats to enable species migration, and practical guidance on appropriate locations for intensification and extensification of land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence of socio-economic sensitivity to climate variability is accumulating and is largely based on modeling studies. This paper examines the impacts of climate extremes (unusually hot summers and unusually warm winters) from the perspective of the perception of the general public. Postal surveys were conducted for 2 regions in the UK: (1) southern England and (2) central and southern Scotland. Information was gathered regarding attitudes to warm climate anomalies, the perceived risks and benefits of recent extremes, and the perceived potential risks and benefits of such anomalies becoming more common in the future. The impacts of climate extremes were assessed with regard to (1) the individual's ‘everyday life’ and (2) the national ‘good’. The responses indicate a high level of awareness of the impacts of climate extremes and deep concerns about global warming tempered by an appreciation that there is potential for both positive and negative outcomes. For several issues, the perception of respondents judge unusually warm summers as having a severe negative impact on agriculture and air quality than do Scottish residents. We suggest that regional differences in climate could at least in part explain the apparent geographic differences in response. The result indicate both short-term and long-term adaptive and behavioural responses to a season of exceptional warmth and a willingness to implement further lifestyle adjustments for a hypothetical future in which such events become more common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptation is an important approach for protecting human health, ecosystems, and economic systems from the risks posed by climate variability and change, and for exploiting beneficial opportunities providedby a changing climate. This paper presents 9 fundamental principles that should be considered when designing adaptation policy, for example, a sound understanding of the potential regional effects of climate on human and ecological systems is required to target appropriate investments in adaptive responses. The distribution of potential impacts across different populations and the mechanisms by which these impacts occur are also key to effective adaptation measures. Options forcoping with climatic changes must be considered in the context of multiple stressors. Further, adaptation is likely to exhibit varying levels of effectiveness as demonstrated by current efforts to deal withclimate variability. Potential adverse side effects of adaptive strategies must also be accounted for to avoid solutions that are worse than the problem. These issues and others are presented in this paper,with examples from various impacts studies to illustrate key points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]