Assessing Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate-related Risks

A Flavour of SEI Activities

Stockholm Environment Institute

Frank Thomalla

with contributions from Tom Downing, Richard Klein, Sivan Kartha & Matthias Nordström

Resilience, Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change: Research PrioritiesECBI Fellows Seminar, SEI, Stockholm, 26 August 2006

Environmental Security

Natural Disasters

Food (In)Security

Policies of Mitigation and Resilience Building

Vulnerability Assessment

Poverty Ecosystems Human Vulnerability to Environmental Change

The SEI Risk, Livelihoods & Vulnerability Programme

• Robust and well-developed conceptual and analytical framework;

• Integrated trans-disciplinary and cross-sectoral analysis;

• Identifies regions and peoples at greatest risk from environmental and socio-economic changes;

• Investigates the role of socio-economic and environmental factors in creating differentiated impacts across specific groups or regions;

• Documents the agency and resilience of people by investigating the mechanisms that facilitate/constrain their ability to cope, adapt or recover from stresses;

• Focuses on the perspectives and experiences of the poorest and most marginalised individuals and groups.

Why vulnerability assessment?

Research for policy: Recognising the value of the process

maintain strategic long-term collaborative partnerships involving scientists, practitioners, decision-makers, and civil society;

define research priorities with partners and policy makers;

promote mutual learning and joint ownership throughout the project;

maintain continuity and sustained investment.

Participatory research approaches and methodologies:

Resource mapping in a Laotian village (Thomalla)

Focus group meeting in a Laotian village (Thomalla)

Key questions relevant to policy

• What are the key factors contributing to vulnerability?

• Is there a systematic causal structure of vulnerability?

• What processes occur at what scales and what is their relative importance?

• To what extent is vulnerability specific to location, situation, ecosystem, or sector?

Children playing in a village in Laos (Thomalla)

Mode of transport on Mekong, Laos (Thomalla)

Methodological issues:

• Plethora of local case studies of vulnerability;

• Place-based and fragmented experience;

• Scale linkages and cross-scale dynamics between local manifestations of vulnerability and risk construction at larger scales;

• Assessing human agency and its limitations.

Challenges of translating research into policy: 1

Integration of different knowledge:

Risk & vulnerability

Livelihoods

Resilience

Integration of different scientific and practitioner communities:

Disaster risk reduction

Poverty reduction

Resource management

Climate change adaptation

Challenges of translating research into policy: 2

Bridging scales of assessment and practice:

• Mismatch between scales of decision-making and assessment;

• Policy frameworks for resource management do not consider local livelihoods;

• Need to address dynamic processes of vulnerability in static policy frameworks;

• Need to consider interactions between social and environmental processes to build resilience to future shocks.

Challenges of translating research into policy: 3

Capacity building, outreach and communication:

• Major gaps in communicating information relevant to climate policy between researchers and policymakers;

• Huge demand for training, technical support and capacity building;

• Lack of information and scientific literature from and on developing countries;

Challenges of translating research into policy: 4

The SEI Poverty & Vulnerability Programme

Anticipating Global Change

Science Policy Interface Partnerships & networks

Sida Environmental Helpdesks

Sida CC and Disasters mainstreaming

Policy briefs

Green Diplomacy Network

IPCC/UNFCCC, GEO

Sida Regional Representatives

Resilience Alliance

UNEP, UNDP, UNU Environment & Human Security Programme

ADPC, IUCN, START, Red Cross, IIED, IISD, The Ring

Capacity building Outreach & communication

VulnerabilityNet and ObservatorySummer Academies

Bridging Scales in Assessment and Practice

Course & training material

Swedish Embassies

Social Learning and Change Management

Managing Climate Risk

Southern Africa

Assessing vulnerability to multiple environmental and socio-economic stresses

Linking regional drivers and livelihood vulnerabilities in a transboundaryriver basin

Greater Mekong Region

Reducing social vulnerability to coastal hazards and climate impacts

Coastal Southeast Asia

Sustainable Development Update

MDGs, PEP

Internships

Staff exchanges

• To improve the science-policy interface in the provision and use of sound information and knowledge on climate change.

• To build capacity throughout global networks to support policies, strategies and measures on climate change.

• To demonstrate, assess and disseminate emerging scientific findings through innovative research.

From assessment to policy development and applications

• Develop strong partnerships to achieve societies and economies that are resilient to the climatic risks of the future.

• Objectives:

Build international research capacity and advice on effective means to manage present and future climatic risks;

Enhance regional capacity in developing countries through partnerships of independent research organisations;

Disseminate best practice and advisory services.

Science-Policy-Interface:UNEP Collaborating Centre on Climate Adaptation

• Strategic collaboration between SEI, IIED, and IISD to establish a global partner network that integrates climate change responses into mainstream development policy, planning and practice in developing countries.

• Objectives:

To build capacity on the links between climate change and sustainable livelihoods, adaptive management and resilience building.

To support governments and civil society on strategies and options for an effective and equitable post-2012 climate regime.

To enable countries to adopt climate policy and governance options, such as carbon credits and markets.

To develop initiatives with local partners and stakeholders in key target areas, such as highly vulnerable or highly dynamic regions.

Science-Policy-Interface:Global Initiative on Climate Change (GICC)

• Signs of change

• Drivers of change

• Threats to the environment

• Implications for human health and well-being

• International and national responses to change

• Actions to reduce emissions

Atlas of Climate Change

Some questions to the ECBI Fellows:

• Where do you think are gaps in research and communication?

• What kind of information and process would be most useful for you?

• What are the priority issues that might be addressed by the UNEP CCA?

• How can we bridge with the realities of your daily work?

• Would you be interested in learning more about specific projects?

• Would you be interested in becoming a collaborative partner?