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This open access book documents myriads of ways community-based climate change adaptation and resilience programs are being implemented in South Asian countries. The narrative style of writing in this volume makes it accessible to a diverse audience from academics and researchers to practitioners in various governmental, non-governmental and international agencies. At a time when climate change presents humanity with a gloomy future, the stories of innovation, creativity, grassroots engagement and locally applicable solutions highlighted in this book provides insights into hopeful ways of approaching climate solutions. South Asian countries have been dealing with the impact of climate change for decades and thus offer valuable learning opportunities for developing countries within and beyond the region as well as many western countries that are confronting the wrath of climate induced natural disasters more recently. SANDEE has been a pioneer in the development of research and training in environmental economics and related issues in South Asia and Prof Maler has been throughout SANDEE's history, its mentor, and its strongest supporter. Many young economists in South Asia have significantly benefited from Prof Maler's guidance and inputs. The present volume on "Climate Change and Community Resilience: Insights from South Asia" is a fitting tribute and an excellent reflection of Prof Maler's contributions to the SANDEE programme throughout his association. - Mahesh Banskota, Ph.D. Professor, Development Studies School of Arts, Kathmandu University This comprehensive volume aptly identifies grassroots initiatives as the core of the problem of adaptation to climate change. The analysis of the different experiments is lucid, inclusive, and full of interesting detail. The methodologies used and the subjects covered span a range of frameworks and narratives. Put together, the studies are a fitting tribute to Karl-Goran Maler, who spent years putting his impeccable expertise to use for the cause of enhancing research in South Asia. - Kanchan Chopra, Ph.D. Former Director and Professor, Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi, and Fellow, SANDEE The slow international policy response to climate change elevates the importance of understanding how communities can respond to climate change's many threats. This unusually accessible volume provides that understanding for South Asia while being relevant to the rest of the world. Its emphasis on research by scholars from the region makes it a wonderful tribute to Prof. Karl-Göran Mäler, who contributed so much to the growth of environmental economics research capacity in South Asia. - Jeffrey R. Vincent, Ph.D. Clarence F. Korstian Professor of Forest Economics & Management Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, USA

This book asks, how can agencies assist local communities adapting to change? By what mechanisms can communities make the most of emerging information? Can effective community-based approaches be scaled up? It is essential reading for NGO practitioners, students, government and NGO policy makers who wish to gain an understanding of adaptation.

Understanding the cost associated with climate change adaptation interventions in agriculture is important for mobilizing institutional support and providing timely resources to improve resilience and adaptive capacities. Top-down national estimates of adaptation costs carry a risk of mismatching the availability of funds with what is actually required on the ground. Consequently, global and national policies require credible evidence from the local level, taking into account microeconomic dynamics and community-appropriate adaptation strategies. These bottom-up studies will improve adaptation planning (the how) and will also serve to inform and validate top-down assessments of the total costs of adaptation (the how much). Participatory Social Return on Investment (PSROI) seeks to provide a pragmatic, local-level planning and costing framework suitable for replication by government and civil society organizations. The 'PSROI Framework' is designed around a participatory workshop for prioritizing and planning community-based adaptation (CBA) strategies, followed by an analysis of the economic, social and environmental impacts of the priority measures using a novel cost-benefit analysis framework. The PSROI framework has been applied in three separate pilot initiatives in Kochiel and Othidhe, Kenya, and Dodji, Senegal. This working paper seeks to outline the theoretical and methodological foundations of the PSROI framework, provide case-study results from each pilot study, and assess the strengths and weaknesses of the framework according to its robustness, effectiveness and scalability

Climate Change and Adaptation transcends many policy areas and is an evolving discipline. The Report presented by the Climate Change Committee on Adaptation (CCCA) must be seen as an initial step that complements the work of the Department of Physics within the University of Malta (UoM) with regards to the Second National Communication of Malta to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Report presented by the Committee should serve as the basis of a mature, apolitical, national discussion on the potential impact of climate change adaptation on Malta. The arising discussion should be supported by an ongoing communication process that is directed to inform, educate, and instill awareness amongst the population at large on this important policy domain. The Report is not exhaustive. The breadth and depth of climate change and adaptation limits the extent to which all arising issues are explored and studied, and for which solutions are presented. The Government, knowledge institutions, non government organisations, and think thanks should use the Report as a spring board from which they extend further knowledge of the impact of climate change adaptation on Malta by expanding on policy matters presented in the Report as well as to fill in lacunae on policy matters not addressed by the Report. The Committee has neither prioritized nor costed the recommendations it puts forward. This is a conscious decision taken by the Committee. The Committee is aware that there will be those who will criticise it on this matter. Be that as it may, the Committee is of the considered opinion that a prioritisation and costing exercise should only be carried out following a comprehensive public discussion were the policy proposals presented are debated, new policy proposals put forward by the public, non governmental organisations, et al, and specific, as well as generic, reactions to the Report listened to, examined, and reviewed. The Committee has also not presented recommendations with regards to where the loci of responsibility for climate change and adaptation should rest and the resource capacity required should rest to take forward and implement the final recommendations following the discussion process. This is again a conscious decision taken by the Committee. Once again, the Committee is aware that there will be those who will criticise it on this matter. Be that as it may, this Report must not be seen in isolation from the National Strategy for Policy and Abatement Measures Relating to the Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions approved by the House of Representatives in September 2009. The Committee underlines that the National Strategy for Policy and Abatement Measures Relating to the Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions had proposed the setting up of a Climate Change Division within the Malta Resources Authority which will 'own and co-ordinate Climate Change adaptation and mitigation policy at both a national and international level'. ; peer-reviewed

A central claim of community-based adaptation (CBA) is that it increases resilience. Yet, the concept of resilience is treated inconsistently in CBA, obscuring discussion of the limitations and benefits of resilience thinking and undermining evaluation of resilience outcomes in target communities. This paper examines different participatory assessment activities carried out as part of CBA case studies in Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands. The activities and their outputs were assessed against 10 characteristics of resilience previously identified in a systematic review. The findings offer support to the claim that CBA can build resilience in target communities, revealing the inherent strengths of CBA in relation to resilience. However, it is necessary for CBA assessments to simultaneously incorporate activities that consider cultural, political, economic and ecological factors influencing resilience within and between communities. This may demand multiple staff with different skills. The findings also highlight the importance of politics and power in shaping adaptive capacity. In particular, addressing the highly context specific nature of social, cultural and political relations demands an approach that is situated in and responsive to local realities. Overall, our case studies suggest that using the 10 characteristics as an analytical framework offers support to practitioners looking to develop, implement or evaluate CBA assessment activities. Yet within this, it is critical that a focus on increasing resilience through CBA does not preclude transformation in social relations. Realising the potential to support resilience and transformation requires CBA practitioners to acknowledge the multifaceted nature of resilience, whilst also paying close attention to multiple potential barriers to equitable adaptation.

This project has been funded by the Deep South National Science Challenge, under the Impacts and Implications funding stream. It forms part of the Climate Adaptation, Vulnerability and Community Wellbeing project (or Climate Adaptive Communities for short). This project was led by Associate Professor Janet Stephenson, director of the Centre for Sustainability at the University of Otago. Other research team members include: - Dr Sophie Bond, Te Iho Whenua/School of Geography, University of Otago - Dr Caroline Orchiston, Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago - Dr Amanda Thomas, School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington - Dr Gradon Diprose, Manaaki Whenua, Landcare Research, Wellington - Dr Wendy Saunders, GNS Science, New Zealand - Dr Nicholas Cradock-Henry, Manaaki Whenua, Landcare Research, Lincoln - A team of postgraduate students from Otago, Jule Barth, Nicolle Vincent, Charlotta Heyd, Rachael Laurie-Fendall, Josh Rochford Barber; and from Victoria University of Wellington, Katy Simons and Alex Hill. For correspondence: Dr Sophie Bond, sophie.bond@otago.ac.nz or Associate Professor Janet Stephenson, janet.stephenson@otago.ac.nz ; This report explores how regional and territorial authorities in Aotearoa New Zealand currently understand their role in climate adaptation, to what extent they are currently fulfilling that role, and how they engage with their communities – particularly those that are more susceptible to harm. The findings are based on 13 key informant interviews conducted with representatives from local authorities across Aotearoa New Zealand that are facing extreme exposure to the effects of climate change, focusing in particular on sea level rise and increased frequency and intensity of storm events. Local authorities are aware of the immensity of the challenge that climate change presents for Aotearoa New Zealand, but there is a general sense of uncertainty that emerged through the research, summarised in the following points: • Research participants indicated a sense that Central Government must work to clarify roles and responsibilities for adaptation in order for responses to climate change effects to be more co-ordinated and therefore fairer. • Local Authorities require more funding than they currently have access to in order to develop and implement effective policy responses, and participants suggested that this ought to come at least in part, from Central Government. • The nature of climate science provides a barrier to effective policy response and community engagement. • More knowledge is required about the potential localised impacts of climate change for effective policy to be developed. • While several local authorities are working hard to engage with their communities in novel ways that allow for open debate and discussion and focus on building relationships, many also rely heavily on submissions in the policy process and public meetings to understand the wants and needs of their communities. This is perceived as inadequate by most participants and is often due to resource limitations.

There is the need for a legal instrument that would first and foremost establish the executive powers of a new entity with overarching responsibilities and powers over all the authorities that have sectoral responsibilities for climate change. Such a legal instrument should also identify these sectoral authorities and their responsibilities, preferably within an Annex which could be amended and adjusted in a flexible manner. This instrument should be managed by a new unit on climate change within MRA and it should ensure integration without causing fragmentation between the sectors. At the same time, retaining the sectoral input would ensure that there is no duplication of roles, that the institutions are specialised within their own field and that the overarching institution does not becomes a bottle neck. In other words, different competent authorities responsible for the different sectoral policies and obligations should remain, but these must be answerable to an institution that has executive powers to ensure compliance and to coordinate long and short term planning with respect to climate change targets and impacts. By way of recommendation therefore, a legal instrument of this sort should seek to intervene as little as possible in the daily running of the sectoral policies and only apply its powers in situations of emergency when non compliance by the different sectors stalls the fulfilment of Malta's obligations. Its main role should be to ensure implementation of a National Strategy on Mitigation and Adaptation. This legal instrument would not duplicate the role of public institutions that are already regulators for various sectors on climate change. It would however empower the new entity to take enforcement measures against the said institutions if they fail to do so. It would also ensure the implementation and enforcement of existing legislation that regulates the various sectors in order to rationalize their sustainable use and provide for conservation measures. This would benefit both the implementation of mitigation and adaptation measures. An entity entrusted with the overall responsibility for climate change law and policy must be legally empowered to ensure the implementation of national adaptation programmes. It must also coordinate the various sectors to carry out the necessary research to adopt and implement mitigation and adaptation measures. It must necessarily be supported by a parallel capacity building process in the various entities that run the day-to- day implementation functions. On an administrative level, without necessarily being included in a legal instrument, memoranda of understanding and stakeholder dialogue are indispensable tools to ensure cooperation. This will facilitate reaching mitigation and adaptation targets within the stipulated time frames. The mainstreaming of climate change impacts in national policies ensures the adoption of mitigation and adaptation measures and guarantees synergy and linkages amongst various public plans and programmes. Response to climate change should take place at a strategic level to assess beforehand the socio-economic impacts of any mitigation and adaptation measures adopted as a consequence prior to mainstreaming into national policy making. The existing Regulations on the Strategic Environment Assessment already include climate change impacts as one of the issues that needs to be taken into consideration in an SEA. Furthermore, for all those situations where an SEA is not required, Maltese authorities should promote pro-active adaptation measures such as, for example, in development planning, rather than take reactive adaptation measures. The new climate change legal instrument must ensure effective monitoring and stakeholder engagement, particularly the involvement of NGOS and Local Councils which increases public awareness on climate change issues. The new law should also take into consideration national security issues relating to climate change when formulating mitigation and adaptation strategies. The new law should also target the development of a research programme for climate change, including access to funding programmes. It is vital that Investment in research and development in all sectors should not remain on a voluntary basis. It will provide local industry with the necessary technology and it will generate specialised local expertise in a rapidly growing sector that is assuming a tremendous economic potential. Procrastination is detrimental on two main fronts. First because Malta will miss out in securing a place in this niche-market and second because we will keep relying upon foreign technology and expertise. Since Malta can rely on and pool from the scientific and technical advice of the European Environmental agency, it is best to concentrate on investing in scientific and technical research that addresses the local scenario. This should be earmarked as a priority for EU funded projects and care should be taken not to duplicate research conducted by EU agencies to which Malta has access, but rather to build upon it and apply it at the local level. It is also essential to include as a legal obligation the publication to civil society of information acquired as a result of research conducted at the EU level or carried out locally. It must be ensured that all sectors surmount the constraints due to the lack of a sound knowledge base on local ecosystem dynamics. Filling such a gap would serve to build local scientific evidence that would identify to what extent marine, terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna groups are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Emphasis should be placed on minor and already vulnerable groups. All sectors should be legally bound to maintain a Geographic Information System to integrate data related to climate change, and any other data required apart from spatial information. Adopting and implementing the recommendations suggested by the National Sustainable Development Strategy for Malta would greatly enhance the implementation of adaptation measures relating to climate change, both on a cross-sectoral and sectoral level. At present it is envisaged that the government is currently preparing a new Bill on sustainable development, in the meantime the applicable provisions of the EPA by virtue of which the sustainable development strategy was published should continue to apply. Malta should also endeavour to promote more regional cooperation in the Mediterranean under the Barcelona Convention framework and Euro Med, to identify the adaptation needs of the Mediterranean littoral to the impacts of climate change. Authorities should initiate immediately, even at the regional Mediterranean level, studies to assess vulnerability due to climate change, how new opportunities may be tapped, how to meet with the negative consequences of climate change in the sector, how to ensure that local operators adapt to the shift in tourism trends as a result of climate change. There is the need of systematic and sustained awareness building programmes to educate all. This will intensify awareness and promote a change in behavioural patterns to improve adaptation to climate change. Increasing awareness of climate change impacts within the government, industry, and community sectors will support cultural change transitions that are required for the adoption of more climate change friendly technologies, designs, and operations by public and private operators. The new climate change law should also obligate the various sectors to formulate contingency plans. This serves to: address the negative impacts envisaged as a result of climate change particularly upon vulnerable groups. assess socio-economic implications, with increased insurance covers for risks resulting from the likely impacts of climate change. identify financial guarantees and incentives amongst the various stakeholders in all sectors. ; peer-reviewed

Climate change in the East African country of Uganda is causing severe variations in the once predictable seasonal weather patterns that farmers had come to depend on. This, in combination with social and economic challenges, has significantly increased the vulnerability of farmers who make up the majority of Uganda's population. Previous knowledge and observations suggest that Ugandan farmers may be reluctant or slow to change their practices in response to the changing climate. Strategies are therefore needed to identify challenges and sustainable solutions. This research used qualitative data collection methods known as participatory rural appraisal (PRA) and participatory action research (PAR) over a seven-month period with two communities in western Uganda. One community was located in an urban area while the other was rural. Research methods were used to first identify real challenges specific to the community before developing strategies to solve them. Both of these steps were conducted in a bottom-up community-based way, utilizing the expertise of community participants. Overall, the main problems identified included degraded water resources, poor farm performance, gender issues, and health challenges. Most of these problems were not directly a result of climate change, but rather a combination of social and economic challenges like poverty and a lack of support from the government and other organizations. In both communities, sustainable solutions to major problems were created by increasing the overall knowledge, expertise, and cooperation among community participants in addition to improving access to local services. The actions taken resulted in a pilot project that improved water resources for the rural community. The approach was effective because it allowed the communities to advocate for themselves to create lasting change. This research builds upon a rapidly growing body of literature on the effectiveness of community-based efforts to solve real-life problems in struggling communities. Furthermore, these findings also challenge more traditional donor-driven approaches to development.

Coastal climate change impacts challenge policy and decision makers to adopt more effective adaptation measures. The ecosystem-based management approach can shift adaptation towards a more holistic, integrated and sustainable path. However, as countries work on strategies to adapt to climate change, the questions of if and how such agendas consider and operationalise ecosystem-based management remains. As one of the world's largest coastal countries, Brazil can have a prominent role in advancing the implementation of ecosystem-based management to coastal zones. By analysing two national Brazilian climate change adaptation institutions, this article evaluates and discusses the country's advances in promoting climate change adaptations based on ecosystem-based management principles. Our findings show that, although Brazil has incorporated many ecosystem-based management principles to climate change adaptation at the national level, greater attention should be given to operationalizing principles related to acknowledging uncertainties, sustainability, democracy and knowledge production and application. The challenges to implement these principles mirror historical challenges of Brazilian coastal management policies, such as balancing development and conservation, promoting social participation and implementing effective social-ecological assessments and monitoring programs. Policy makers, scientists and communities should be aware of the need to strengthen ecosystem-based management principles in the current adaptation agenda in order to enhance its capacity to foster adaptation and just coastal sustainability.

The world's poor will be the most critically affected by a changing climate-and yet their current plight isn't improving rapidly enough to fulfill the UN's Millennium Development Goals. If experienced development organizations are finding it difficult to solve decades-old development problems, how will they additionally solve new challenges driven by climate change? A Field Guide to Community Based Adaptation illustrates how including community members in project design and co-management leads to long-lasting, successful achievement of development and adaptation goals.This field guide provides

There is growing recognition that some degree of climate change is now unavoidable and all regions, sectors, and people are vulnerable to climate change impacts to varying degrees. In response, a variety of stakeholders, from local governments to social justice groups and corporations, are beginning to think about adaptation strategies to help reduce their risk. Adaptation planning it still in its infancy and local governments are struggling with how to navigate the planning process. A handful of communities in the United States have embarked on planning efforts and have engaged the local community in some manner. Here, we provide a detailed analysis of climate impacts, vulnerabilities, and adaptation options in a major economic center: Oakland, California. The goal of this study is to inform the development of a comprehensive and equitable climate adaptation plan effort. This research project engages active members of the Oakland Climate Action Coalition, including community-based organizations and resident leaders, in analyzing both the impacts of, and social vulnerabilities to, climate change. Further, it enumerates adaptation strategies that can be implemented at the local level, discusses their advantages and disadvantages, and identifies social equity concerns. Finally, it identifies trends and best practices in climate adaptation planning processes, focusing specifically on their efficacy in engaging the broader community and in addressing the needs of all residents, especially the most vulnerable. This paper is meant to serve as a tool for both city planners and community members everywhere, as they work in tandem to develop more equitable and resilient cities for the climate of the future.