Climate Change Adaptive Capacity Assessments

doi:10.1017/9781108782180.005

3 - Climate Change Adaptive Capacity Assessments

Conceptual Approaches and Operational Process

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 June 2021

Annie Montpetit,

Frédérik Doyon and

Guy Chiasson

Edited by

Riyanti Djalante and

Bernd Siebenhüner

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Riyanti Djalante: Affiliation:
United Nations University, Tokyo
Bernd Siebenhüner: Affiliation:
Carl V. Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Germany

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Summary

Over the last decades, adaptive capacity took a greater place on the climate research agenda without receiving sufficient operational attention. There is no consensus on how to define adaptive capacity while existing definitions are often vague. This becomes a challenge when assessing the concept. The objectives of this chapter are two-fold. First, it aims at providing guidance in overcoming the challenges associated with operationalising a concept that has been influenced by different theoretical backgrounds. In order to do so, an operational process composed of three distinct steps is presented to guide future adaptive capacity assessments. Second, the chapter seeks to demonstrate how an operational definition and framework of climate change adaptive capacity that integrate multiple epistemic, spatial, and temporal dimensions can be crafted. By doing so, this chapter unveils a method to identify governance processes fostering adaptiveness as well as the attributes of governance systems enhancing capacities to adapt.

Keywords

adaptive capacity operational framework climate change attributes development studies resilience vulnerability

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Type: Chapter
Information: Adaptiveness: Changing Earth System Governance , pp. 50 - 68
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108782180.005 [Opens in a new window]
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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