Adapting in a Resilient Fashion Demonstrating the Possible Adapting in a Resilient Fashion Susan Evans, WWF-Canada Nov 30th 2015 NBEN Adaptation Workshop 2015

What is Adaptation? Adaptation is A Journey NOT a Destination IPCC Definition: “the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects, in order to moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities” Adaptation is an ongoing Process of risk management NOT a Project the suite of actions taken in response to change necessary for managing & prospering through ANY change, not just climate change A Journey NOT a Destination

Is All Adaptation Considered Equal?

Adaptation Strategies Coping Reducing Vulnerability Building Resilience Transformation Elasticity! Reactive Resistant to Change Short-term Reactive May Account for Change Intermediate/long-term Proactive Accounts for Change Intermediate/long-term   Proactive Facilitates Change Long-term Vulnerability Stays the Same Vulnerability Reduced Vulnerability Reduced Adaptive Capacity Strengthened New Vulnerabilities Facilitate Desirable Future States

Building Resilience How is it different What are the key attributes Practical example

Resilience defined “The capacity of a system to respond to change and continue to develop” Humans and Nature are Strongly Coupled Accepts Change Anticipates Embraces Learning Manages Feedbacks

Building Resilience: essential components SCIENCE Developing Science and Tools to: Understand Baselines, Anticipate Change, and Plan for the Future PEOPLE Understanding the Actors Involved in Responding to Change

Two Types of Resilience Specified Resilience The ability of a specific part of a system to respond to a particular, known disturbance in order to maintain valued characteristics of the system General Resilience The capacity of the system (as a whole) to absorb disturbances of all kinds including unknown or unforeseen ones SPECIFIED GENERAL Resilience of what? Particular value Entire system Resilience to what? Known disturbance Unknown disturbance

Key Attributes of Building Resilience WHO? Inclusive Participation Strong Leadership Maintain Diversity & Redundancy Manage Connectivity Manage Feedbacks Encourage Learning WHAT? Diversity, modular Social-ecological Shared vision Broaden Participation Promote Polycentric Governance Azote Images, 2015 HOW? Adaptive Planning Flexible Institutions Foster Complex Adaptive Systems Thinking Biggs et al. 2015.

Practical Examples Social-Ecological Inventory Identifies actors Builds inclusivity Foundation for collaboration Scenario Mapping/Planning Identifies trade-offs Builds a shared vision Monitoring Encourages learning Enables adaptive planning Diversifying Landscapes Builds insurance against risk extreme events markets Values multiple knowledge sources

Susan Evans, sevans@wwfcanada.org