Assessing Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate-related Risks A Flavour of SEI Activities

1. Assessing Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate-related Risks A Flavour of SEI Activities Frank Thomalla with contributions from Tom Downing, Richard Klein, Sivan Kartha & Matthias Nordström Stockholm Environment Institute Resilience, Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change: Research Priorities ECBI Fellows Seminar, SEI, Stockholm, 26 August 2006

2. The SEI Risk, Livelihoods & Vulnerability Programme

3. Why vulnerability assessment? • 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.

4. Research for policy: Recognising the value of the process Participatory research approaches and methodologies: • 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. Resource mapping in a Laotian village (Thomalla) Focus group meeting in a Laotian village (Thomalla)

5. 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)

6. Challenges of translating research into policy: 1 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.

7. Challenges of translating research into policy: 2 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

8. Challenges of translating research into policy: 3 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.

9. Challenges of translating research into policy: 4 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;

10. The SEI Poverty & Vulnerability Programme

11. From assessment to policy development and applications • 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.

12. Science-Policy-Interface: UNEP Collaborating Centre on Climate Adaptation • 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.

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

14. Atlas of Climate Change • 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

15. 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?