Climate Change, Adaptive Capacity and Development

by Smith, Joel B.; Klein, Richard J. T.; Huq, Saleemul

• ISBN13: 9781860943737
• ISBN10: 186094373X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-08-01
• Publisher: World Scientific Pub Co Inc

Summary

The Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has presented strong evidence that human-induced climate 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 relative 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 orgainzed 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 covers these topics, both from a theoretical perspective and in the from of national case studies. The papers from 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.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction	p. 1
From Adaptation to Adaptive Capacity and Vulnerability Reduction	p. 9
Social Aspects of Adaptive Capacity	p. 29
Adaptive Capacity: What Does It Mean in the Context of Natural Hazards?	p. 51
Lessons from Famine Early Warning and Food Security for Understanding Adaptation to Climate Change: Toward a Vulnerability/Adaptation Science?	p. 71
Assessing Vulnerability in the Context of Changing Socioeconomic Conditions: A Study of Egypt	p. 101
Do We Have the Adaptive Capacity to Develop and Use the Adaptive Capacity to Adapt?	p. 137
The Legal Framework of Adaptation and Adaptive Capacity	p. 163
Adaptation Funding - Legal and Institutional Issues	p. 191
Adaptative Capacity: The Philippines Coastal Resources Experience	p. 217
Adaptation to Climatic Variability and Change in Tlaxcala, Mexico	p. 241
Engaging Africa in Adaptation to Climate Change	p. 261
Adaptation, Sustainable Development and Equity: The Case of Pakistan	p. 285
Enhancing the Capacity of Developing Countries to Adapt to Climate Change: A Policy Relevant Research Agenda	p. 317
Workshop Agenda and List of Participants	p. 335
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