Introduction - Climate Change Adaptation and Development: Transforming Paradigms and Practices - page 3

exploring the implications of 'development-as-usual' approaches, these case
studies recognize adaptation as a social process that unfolds differently in different
contexts. While many studies and analyses of adaptation in developing countries
focus on important practical and technical challenges of planning, funding and
implementing projects (Gagnon-Lebrun and Agrawala 2006; Gigli and Agrawala
2007; Mapfumo, Mtambanengwe and Chikowo 2010; Biagini et al. 2014), the
chapters in this topic draw attention to the systemic and structural factors that
define adaptation as a social processes. They describe the types of interventions and
actions that impede or support adaptation in different local contexts. More broadly,
they investigate the extent to which adaptation interventions by governments,
NGOs and aid agencies either reproduce or challenge dominant development
paradigms. Such knowledge is essential if adaptation actions are to engage with
and support more equitable and sustainable pathways.
In this introductory chapter, we describe why climate change adaptation and
development need to be taken more seriously, what is meant by 'development
as usual', and how adaptation is framed, financed and practised within this
paradigm. We then describe the contributions to this topic, and show that there
is significant empirical research to support arguments for new approaches to
adaptation and development which can serve as an entry point for creating
sustainable and resilient development pathways.
taking adaptation and development seriously
Communities, sectors, states and institutions have to adapt not only to the
changes that are currently observed, but also to the impacts that are likely
to occur over the next decades. Adaptation has been defined by the IPCC
(2014a: 5) as '[t]he process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and
its effects. In human systems, adaptation seeks to moderate or avoid harm
or exploit beneficial opportunities.' Looking towards the second half of the
21st century and beyond, the types of adaptation required will be closely
linked to the success or failure of near-term and sustained climate change
mitigation: the challenges of adapting to a world that is more than 4°C warmer
are exponentially higher than adapting to a world of less than 2°C warming,
and there are recognized limits to adaptation (Dow et al. 2013). Adaptation
and mitigation cannot be seen as discrete, independent policies. Although
mitigation and adaptation are often discussed as two separate policy arenas,
they are closely related in practice, as mitigation of GHG emissions will
influence both how much and what kind of adaptation will be necessary in
the future (Pelling 2011). Indeed, some practices, such as the provision of
renewable energy to poor households, can create synergies and co-benefits
between mitigation and adaptation (IPCC 2014a).
The process of adaptation presents significant challenges to development -
not only because of the financial costs of adaptation, but also because failure to
adapt will incur significant losses and damages (Warner and van der Geest 2013).