Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
6
as drivers oF soCial
development
Sara Trærup and Lars Christiansen
introduction
Technology development and transfer is an area of increasing priority on the
international agenda on adaptation to climate change. Whereas discussions of
technologies had focused mainly on mitigation, technologies for adaptation
have recently been brought squarely into the discussions (United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 2010). The heightened
international focus on adaptation technology may have consequences for how,
and how much, consideration is given to the social development dimensions of
adaptation in the practical implementation of adaptation activities in developing
countries.
There is general agreement in the recent literature that technology may
play an important role in adaptation to climate change, but that its scope and
effectiveness is often location-specific and depends on the broader development
and socio-cultural context in which it is deployed (Agrawala and Broad 2002;
Adger et al. 2007; Klein 2011; Practical Action 2011). Further, it is often argued
that technologies fail to address the underlying stressors (like access to basic
resources such as water, infrastructure and public facilities) to vulnerability
to climate change (Klein 2011; Vincent et al. 2011). Olhoff (2014) notes that
adaptation technologies may be only partially effective if they do not address
other key aspects that contribute to vulnerability to climate change; they may
be ineffective if they are not suited to local conditions; and that they may prove
maladaptive (i.e. increase vulnerability) if implemented without recognition
of relevant social and environmental processes. And Fankhauser, Smith and
Tol (1999) and Tol et al. (2006) note that the risk and uncertainties of climate
change pose barriers to the development as well as the adoption of certain
technologies.
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