1. Living with Climate Change Are there Limits to Adaptation?

2. Themes Theme 1: Adapting to thresholds in physical and ecological systems Theme 2: The role of values and culture in adaptation Theme 3: Governance, knowledge and technologies for adaptation

3. Adaptation is necessary ….

6. Bows and Anderson (2008) Phil Trans Roy Soc in press. Global emissions growing at 2.7% p.a., 2000-08. They will have to drop like a stone after 2020 to meet any reasonable stabilisation level

7. Thinking behind the Themes Adaptation may be limited by: divergent goals of adaptation (diverse and incommensurable values) uncertainty in foresight intrinsic current value of places and identities Adaptation is constrained by: social characteristics and individual behaviour Adger, Dessai et al. (2008) – background paper

8. Theme 1 Adapting to thresholds in physical and ecological systems Can limits be defined in physical parameters when adaptation involves biological and human adaptation? Irreversibility ….. …… of social, cultural and ecological attributes?

9. Information is not the constraint Dessai and Hulme (2008) GRL submitted UK climate scenarios from 1990-2002 compare favourably to recent CET observations

10. Theme 2 Role of values and culture in adaptation Unique nature of places, societies, cultures Identities bound to localities Subjective, cultural and symbolic values Continuous change and adaptation?

11. Theme 3 Governance, knowledge and technologies for adaptation Scale Agency Diverse goals Modes of governance

12. A priori thoughts Adaptation is happening now, but constrained by behaviour, inertia and contested values and aims Adaptation is absolutely necessary and resonates with sustainable development Adaptation will be painful for many

13. Living with Climate Change Are there Limits to Adaptation?