Successful Adaptation to Climate Change: Linking Science and Policy in a Rapidly Changing World

Author: Moser, Susanne C.
Brand: Taylor & Francis Ltd
Edition: 1
Binding: Paperback
Number of Pages: 360
Release Date: 07-06-2013
EAN: 9780415525008
Package Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.0 inches
Languages: English

Details:
What does successful adaptation look like? This is a question frequently asked by planners, policymakers, and other professionals tasked with 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, 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 to present careful analyses of different cases and situations, questioning commonly held assumptions in climate adaptation science and practice. The book offers not one answer but demonstrates how success is normative and context-specific. It identifies dimensions of success such as economic, political, institutional, ecological, and social, explores tensions between them, and compiles encouraging evidence for resolutions. The book appraises how climatic and non-climatic stressors play a role, the role science can play in adaptation decision-making, and how trade-offs shape adaptation planning and implementation on the ground.

This timely interdisciplinary text sheds light on key issues in adaptation to climate change and bridges the gap between science and practical application. It will interest students, academics, and practitioners.