weADAPT Principles of Adaptation Ben Smith and Tahia Devisscher SEI Oxford

Adaptation is a process of socio-institutional learning -It is a process not a static product – we are aiming to be adapting well rather than well adapted. -Information and approaches relevant to adaptation are evolving all the time, so we need an iterative approach to adaptation where we act, learn and then take a further decision based on the best available information. -Institutions need to evolve to become flexible and able to respond to emerging information and challenges.

Adaptation decisions depend on the context..... both the local environmental and social vulnerabilities and the perspectives of the stakeholders involved in the decision-process. -Adaptation will not work as a set of generic solutions but must be grounded in the local environmental, climatic, social and political realities. -Different groups have differing and even competing goals and needs so even in one location strategies may have to be nuanced in order to assist different groups.

Information needs to be ‘good enough’ to make an informed decision; it is not necessary to know every last detail. -The key is what information is needed in order to make an informed decision, not having all possible information available. -In real world situations we rarely have all of the information we would like, but if we have ‘enough’ we can make a good decision.

Uncertainty in future conditions must be taken into account, but does not mean that we cannot act now. -We do not know the exact ways the climate will change, particularly at a local level. -We do not know what the social, economic and political situation will look like in 10, 20 or 50 years time. -We can however take the information we do have (including trends and variability) and construct adaptation strategies and measures that include this uncertainty but are likely to be beneficial independent of a particular scenario of change.

Adaptation strategies should be robust against a range of possible scenarios (both climatic and socio-economic). -Basing adaptation strategies on one single scenario of the future could easily lead to maladaptation as we cannot be certain of future conditions. -’robust’ in this context means strategies that will be beneficial under a range of possible scenarios for the future, rather than being reliant on certain conditions occurring.

Tools are a means of getting to a solution, they do not provide answers themselves! -There are many tools which help to address problems related to adaptation, but no tool will provide one single ‘answer’ to the problem that is of any quality. -Tools should never be used to replace thought and reflection on the problem. -A related point is that every tool out there is good for a specific purpose, but no tool can do everything! -A saw is good for cutting wood, but is useless for joining 2 pieces together; for this we need a hammer and nails and maybe a screwdriver...

Adaptation strategies should address immediate needs while at the same time building capacity to deal with future change. -Current problems will always be perceived as more important than potential future problems, so if we do not start by addressing immediate needs adaptation strategies are unlikely to be given priority. -In many cases current problems are undermining the ability to cope with changes in climate, so if they are not addressed it will be very difficult to deal with the large negative effects climate change is likely to bring.

Using multiple methods to address a problem is likely to give more robust results than relying on one sole method. In most situations there is no single tool or method that is empirically ‘the best’ – each has its advantages and disadvantages. -In using multiple methods we can compare whether they give similar information/priorities and better judge ways of addressing a problem. -Relying on one method may constrain the action that we take, as certain relevant information may not be included or we may make a misleading interpretation.

Enduring partnerships are essential for building adaptive capacity -Capacity-building must be a process rather than a one-off ‘event’, and this requires trust, strong relationships and long-term commitment. -Real capacity is built by using and applying knowledge and skills gained in everyday work, and then learning from this. Capacity-building thus requires not only training workshops, but also partnerships and collaborative working.

2-way dialogues are the basis of building consensus, partnerships and the exchange of useful information for decision-making. - It is only through prolonged dialogue where both parties respect and learn from each other that trust is built and true collaboration can begin. - Adaptation should not be about ‘experts’ pushing pre- packaged information to users, but rather about learning each other’s needs and being able to exchange information that is useful for decision-making. - This is the basis of a social learning approach

Adaptation will require sharing knowledge - Creativity and innovation are key to adaptation, and will be fostered through the connection and exchange of different types of knowledge and ideas. -Many adaptation initiatives exist; the sharing of ideas, methods and best practice is important for promoting good adaptation. - Effective networks for adaptation require strong cooperation between organizations and mechanisms for sharing, generating and applying knowledge

“ weADAPT Principles of Adaptation ” Ben Smith SEI Oxford