Governance in the Face of Uncertainty and Change - Climate Change and Water Governance: Adaptive Capacity in Chile and Switzerland - page 168

Chapter 10
Governance in the Face of Uncertainty
and Change

Abstract This chapter presents the first stage of findings in the multi-pronged
approach, used to triangulate towards a more nuanced and empirically based set of
adaptive capacity indicators. First, the results from the assessment and categoriza-
tion of the adaptive responses are presented, elucidating the adaptive mechanisms
across the different governance scales. Next, those mechanisms are characterised
according to the categories of transformation, persistent adaptation and passive
responses. Finally, the different categories of adaptive outcomes are discussed in
more depth in relation to the specific governance mechanisms associated with them.
Results indicate a higher concentration of transformative and persistent adaptive
responses in the Swiss case area than in the Chilean case area .

Keywords Rhône, Canton Valais, Switzerland • Aconcagua, Region V, Chile
• Assessing adaptive mechanisms • Adaptive outcomes • Transformative adaptation
• Persistent adaptation • Passive change • Governance scales

10.1 Adaptive Mechanisms Across Scales

The following section and table records the different institutional and governance
mechanisms that were mobilised, drawn on, or relevant to preparing for or navigate
the case events in each case area. The different mechanisms recorded in Tables 10.1
and 10.2 , are categorised by the different scales in which they are invoked. For the
purposes of this study, adaptive mechanisms are termed as a response, institutional
or governance mechanism (law, regulation, policy, institution) that are undertaken at
the national, regional or local (both community and individual) level in order to
prepare for or respond to different scales of environmental change (i.e. inter-annual
variability, drought, floods, climate change impacts).