Barriers and Bridges to Adaptive Capacity

Barriers and Bridges to Adaptive Capacity PDF Author: Kendra Sinclair
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Observed climate change impacts are increasing pressures unevenly across space and amongst social actors who possess differential capacities to cope with and adapt to change. Governance of environmental resources plays an important role in this capacity to adapt, particularly in an era of unprecedented social and environmental changes. What is less known is the degree to which and the extent that environmental governance shapes differential adaptive capacities. Nepal has been identified as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, with availability of water resources a prime concern. Using qualitative methods conducted during a five-week span of fieldwork in two communities in the middle hills of central Nepal, this research examines how water governance provides a barrier or bridge for the adaptive capacity of socially diverse actors. Findings from this research reveal that the temporal, spatial, and jurisdictional scales involved in water governance decision-making processes are mismatched for the scale and level of water scarcity experienced within study site locations. The repercussions of these mismatches are felt strongest along lines of caste/ethnicity. Additionally this thesis reveals that gendered, embodied practices of access of water also play a role in producing differential adaptive capacities.Through the lenses of scale and level mismatches and embodiment, this work reveals the power dynamics embedded in water governance decision-making processes and the everyday practices of water access, effectively producing barriers to adaptive capacity for some social actors, and bridges for others. This work illuminates the biases and systemic inequities that are embedded in water governance decision-making processes. Furthermore these findings add greater understanding to the literature on adaptive capacity and environmental governance by tracing the scalar dimensions of water governance in its production of differential adaptive capacities. The results of this study can help inform more equitable climate change adaptation practices and water governance policies.

Barriers and Bridges to Adaptive Capacity

Barriers and Bridges to Adaptive Capacity PDF Author: Kendra Sinclair
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Observed climate change impacts are increasing pressures unevenly across space and amongst social actors who possess differential capacities to cope with and adapt to change. Governance of environmental resources plays an important role in this capacity to adapt, particularly in an era of unprecedented social and environmental changes. What is less known is the degree to which and the extent that environmental governance shapes differential adaptive capacities. Nepal has been identified as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, with availability of water resources a prime concern. Using qualitative methods conducted during a five-week span of fieldwork in two communities in the middle hills of central Nepal, this research examines how water governance provides a barrier or bridge for the adaptive capacity of socially diverse actors. Findings from this research reveal that the temporal, spatial, and jurisdictional scales involved in water governance decision-making processes are mismatched for the scale and level of water scarcity experienced within study site locations. The repercussions of these mismatches are felt strongest along lines of caste/ethnicity. Additionally this thesis reveals that gendered, embodied practices of access of water also play a role in producing differential adaptive capacities.Through the lenses of scale and level mismatches and embodiment, this work reveals the power dynamics embedded in water governance decision-making processes and the everyday practices of water access, effectively producing barriers to adaptive capacity for some social actors, and bridges for others. This work illuminates the biases and systemic inequities that are embedded in water governance decision-making processes. Furthermore these findings add greater understanding to the literature on adaptive capacity and environmental governance by tracing the scalar dimensions of water governance in its production of differential adaptive capacities. The results of this study can help inform more equitable climate change adaptation practices and water governance policies.

Adaptation to Climate Change through Water Resources Management

Adaptation to Climate Change through Water Resources Management PDF Author: Dominic Stucker
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136200398
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 483

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Book Description
The impacts of human-induced climate change are largely mediated by water, such as alterations in precipitation and glacial melt patterns, variations in river flow, increased occurrence of droughts and floods, and sea level rise in densely populated coastal areas. Such phenomena impact both urban and rural communities in developed, emerging, and developing countries. Taking a systems approach, this book analyzes evidence from 26 countries and identifies common barriers and bridges for local adaptation to climate change through water resources management. It includes a global set of case studies from places experiencing increased environmental and social pressure due to population growth, development and migration, including in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America. All chapters consider the crosscutting themes of adaptive capacity, equity, and sustainability. These point to resilient water allocation policies and practices that are capable of protecting social and environmental interests, whilst ensuring the efficient use of an often-scarce resource.

Climate Change and Water Governance

Climate Change and Water Governance PDF Author: Margot Hill
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9400757964
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 361

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Book Description
The book presents detailed case studies examining the Rhône Basin in the Canton Valais, Switzerland and the Aconcagua Basin in Valparaiso, Chile. In order to understand and assess the interplay of complex and interlinked environmental and socio-economic issues, the author looks beyond the technology, modelling, engineering and infrastructure associated with water resources management and climate change adaptation, to assess the decision-making environment within which water and adaptation policy and practices are devised and executed.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Bridge Over Troubled Water PDF Author: Lauren Marie Dennis
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Water-supply
Languages : en
Pages : 114

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Book Description
The Oregon Coast's small water systems, like the vast number of small water systems across the U.S., are greatly vulnerable. Failing infrastructure, limited financial capital, and inadequate staff combined with future changes in climate, population size, and regulatory stringency spell out a potentially dire future for the region's water supply and subsequently, its economy. To address small water system vulnerability, partnerships (i.e. regionalized and collaborative approaches to water management and delivery) have received increasing attention as a tool for improving managerial, technical, and financial capacities. But how do these relate to system adaptive capacity, i.e. the ability to respond and adjust to change? In an effort to evaluate regional partnerships and provide guidance to Oregon coastal water system managers as to how to appropriately use it, this study sets out to 1) assess the spectrum of water system partnership types through the framework of adaptive capacity; 2) identify likely drivers and barriers to partnership establishment and ways to overcome them; and 3) assemble recommendations and lessons learned for successful, adaptive capacity-building partnerships. This study suggests that partnerships do in fact increase adaptive capacity, and specifically, that more formalized partnership types (joint powers agencies and consolidations) provide the greatest adaptive capacity characteristics. The number of barriers far outweighed drivers, and recommendations for partnership success converged most commonly around the topic of fair governance. Recommended state actions, opportunities for financing, an evaluation of the adaptive capacity framework, and suggestions for further research are offered.

How to Deal with Climate Change?

How to Deal with Climate Change? PDF Author: Beatrice Mosello
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319153897
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 254

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Book Description
As the evidence for human-induced climate change becomes more obvious, so too does the realisation that it will harshly impact on the natural environment as well as on socio-economic systems. Addressing the unpredictability of multiple sources of global change makes the capacity of governance systems to deal with uncertainty and surprise essential. However, how all these complex processes act in concert and under which conditions they lead to the sustainable governance of environmental resources are questions that have remained relatively unanswered. This book aims at addressing this fundamental gap, using as case examples the basins of the Po River in Northern Italy and the Syr Darya River in Kyrgyzstan. The opening chapter addresses the challenges of governing water in times of climate and other changes. Chapter Two reviews water governance through history and science. The third chapter outlines a conceptual framework for studying institutional adaptive capacity. The next two chapters offer detailed case studies of the Po and Syr Darya rivers, followed by a chapter-length analysis and comparison of adaptive water resources management in the two regions. The discussion includes a description of resistant, reactive and proactive institutions and puts forward ideas on how water governance regimes can transition from resistant to proactive. The final chapter takes a high-level view of lessons learned and how to transform these into policy recommendations and offers a perspective on embracing uncertainty and meeting future challenges.

Climate Change, Adaptive Capacity And Development

Climate Change, Adaptive Capacity And Development PDF Author: Saleemul Huq
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 1783260912
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 357

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Book Description
The Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has presented strong evidence that human-induced climate change is occurring and that all countries of the world will be affected and need to adapt to impacts. The IPCC points out that many developing countries are particularly vulnerable because of their relatively low adaptive capacity. Therefore it is seen as a development priority to help these countries enhance their adaptive capacity to climate change.The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Stratus Consulting organized a workshop in the fall of 2001 to develop an agenda for research on how best to enhance the capacity of developing countries to adapt to climate change. This research agenda is relevant for governments and institutions that wish to support developing countries in adapting to climate change. The workshop brought together experts from developing and industrialized countries, non-governmental organizations, and multilateral and bilateral donor organizations to discuss a number of important topics related to adaptation, adaptive capacity and sustainable development. A dozen papers were commissioned to cover these topics, both from a theoretical perspective and in the form of national case studies. The papers form the basis for this important book, which presents the latest interdisciplinary knowledge about the nature and components of adaptive capacity and how it may be strengthened./a

Adapting to Climate Change

Adapting to Climate Change PDF Author: W. Neil Adger
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521764858
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 533

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Book Description
This book presents the latest science and social science research on whether the world can adapt to climate change.

Limits to Climate Change Adaptation

Limits to Climate Change Adaptation PDF Author: Walter Leal Filho
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319645994
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 408

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Book Description
This book sheds new light on the limits of adaptation to anthropogenic climate change. The respective chapters demonstrate the variety of and interconnections between factors that together constitute the constraints on adaptation. The book pays special attention to evidence that illustrates how and where such limits have become apparent or are in the process of establishing themselves, and which indicates future trends and contexts that might prove helpful in understanding adaptation limits. In particular, the book provides an overview of the most important challenges and opportunities regarding adaptation limits at different temporal, jurisdictional, and spatial scales, while also highlighting case studies, projects and best practices that show how they may be addressed. The book presents innovative multi-disciplinary research and gathers evidence from various countries, sectors and regions, the goal being to advance our understanding of the limits to adaptation and ways to overcome or modify them.

Adaptive Capacity and Environmental Governance

Adaptive Capacity and Environmental Governance PDF Author: Derek Armitage
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642121942
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 310

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Book Description
Rapid environmental change calls for individuals and societies with an ability to transform our interactions with each other and the ecosystems upon which we depend. Adaptive capacity - the ability of a social-ecological system (or the components of that system) to be robust to disturbances and capable of responding to changes - is increasingly recognized as a critical attribute of multi-level environmental governance. This unique volume offers the first interdisciplinary and integrative perspective on an emerging area of applied scholarship, with contributions from internationally recognized researchers and practitioners. It demonstrates how adaptive capacity makes environmental governance possible in complex social-ecological systems. Cutting-edge theoretical developments are explored and empirical case studies offered from a wide range of geographic settings and natural resource contexts, such as water, climate, fisheries and forestry. • Of interest to researchers, policymakers and resource managers seeking to navigate and understand social-ecological change in diverse geographic settings and resource contexts

Successful Adaptation to Climate Change

Successful Adaptation to Climate Change PDF Author: Susanne C. Moser
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135071292
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 365

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Book Description
What does successful adaptation look like? This is a question we are frequently asked by planners, policy makers and other professionals charged with the task of developing and implementing adaptation strategies. While adaptation is increasingly recognized as an important climate risk management strategy, and on-the-ground adaptation planning activity is becoming more common-place, there is no clear guidance as to what success would look like, what to aim for and how to judge progress. This edited volume makes significant progress toward unpacking the question of successful adaptation, offering both scientifically informed and practice-relevant answers from various sectors and regions of the world. It brings together 18 chapters from leading experts within the field to present careful analyses of different cases and situations, questioning throughout commonly avowed truisms and unspoken assumptions that have pervaded climate adaptation science and practice to date. This book offers not one answer but demonstrates how the question of success in important ways is normative and context specific. It identifies the various dimensions of success, such as economic, political, institutional, ecological, and social, explores the tensions between them, and compiles encouraging evidence that resolutions can be found. The book appraises how climatic and non-climatic stressors play a role, what role science does and can play in adaptation decision making, and how trade-offs and other concerns and priorities shape adaptation planning and implementation on the ground. This is timely interdisciplinary text sheds light on key issues that arise in on-the-ground adaptation to climate change. It bridges the gap between science and practical application of successful adaptation strategies and will be of interest to both students, academics and practitioners.