Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 11
Bridges and Barriers to Adaptive Capacity
Abstract This chapter has presents and discusses the bridges and barriers identified
across the different governance scales and cases. The analysis of bridges and barri-
ers to adaptation in relation to extreme events allows for a better understanding of
adaptive capacity to be built, primarily through the identification of a set of favour-
able conditions for fostering adaptive capacity. Becoming aware of what the bridges
and barriers are, even those that may seem immalleable can be seen as a first step in
defining key factors that can transform barriers into factors that can transform capac-
ity into action. While the analysis focusses on bridges or barriers to specific needs
of adaptation and adaptive capacity building, it also drew on findings from the gov-
ernance assessments and concepts such as IWRM as a starting point from which
adaptation to climate related aggravations could be better navigated. Common
bridges and barriers related to autonomy and structure, information and capacity, as
well as integration and cooperation.
Keywords Rhône, Canton Valais, Switzerland • Aconcagua, Region V, Chile
• Analysis of bridges and barriers to adaptation • Favourable conditions for adaptive
capacity
11.1
Bridges and Barriers in Studies of Adaptive Capacity
In the context of the methodology chosen (i.e. extreme events as proxies for future
climate change impacts to which actors and the system responds) context, barriers
and bridges were defined not only by coding structural elements of the response
according to normative indications, but also by eliciting actors' perceptions on what
aspects of the system aided or impeded solutions and adaptive responses to the
extreme event, and thus future climate change impacts. Other studies have outlined
broad themes for bridges and barriers to adaptation (Crabbé and Robin 2006 ; Dovers
and Hezri 2010 ; Moser and Eckstrom 2010 ; Burch 2010 ) . Researchers have
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