Knowledge and Adaptive Capacity

opinion & comment

COMMENTARY: Knowledge and adaptive capacity Casey Williams, Adrian Fenton and Saleemul Huq Knowledge could represent both a powerful determinant and indicator of adaptive capacity.

limate change adaptation has, relationship between socio-economic solutions that prioritize the production over the last decade, become an development and climate risk reduction of useful climate change knowledge and Cincreasingly important topic in as an interaction between ‘generic’ and its effective communication to actors at international policy discussions. In the ‘specific’ capacities and explore how those all scales. It is important to note that the research community, considerable work has capacities might complement or undermine nature and usability of knowledge varies been devoted to adaptation, and especially each other in different contexts. Similarly, across scales, since priorities and decision- to understanding the factors that determine the Local Adaptive Capacity (LAC) making processes vary from actor to an individual, community, organization framework, developed in part by the Africa actor, and that any reliable assessment of or nation’s ability to adapt to the effects Climate Change Resilience Alliance, seeks knowledge should be scale-specific11. of climate variability and change. This to understand how different determinants Knowledge is not merely the possession research has produced important insights of adaptive capacity influence each of information. Producing knowledge into the nature of adaptive capacity, and yet other at the household and community requires interpreting information and the concept remains difficult to bound and levels9. Both the LAC framework and organizing it into a set of evidence-based measure. Here we suggest that knowledge, the work of Eakin et al. argue that no beliefs about particular phenomena. broadly defined, represents both an single determinant of adaptive capacity is Climate change knowledge includes important determinant and indicator of sufficient to explain the concept completely. evidence-based beliefs about the causes adaptive capacity. In addition to making and effects of current, location-specific this case, we propose some strategies for Knowledge and adaptive capacity environmental conditions, as well as measuring and assessing knowledge in There appears to be growing agreement probable changes in those conditions. Such this context. that knowledge represents an important knowledge helps people and groups to determinant of adaptive capacity. (1) make sense of environmental changes; Adaptive capacity and its indicators Within several well-publicized research (2) take up a normative position with The concept of adaptive capacity remains frameworks, knowledge is closely associated respect to those changes; and (3) respond contested, but can be broadly defined as with many other determinants of adaptive to those changes in ways that serve their the ability of individuals, communities, capacity2. Within the LAC framework, interests. Because we are concerned organizations, nations and other actors to for instance, knowledge is not only a with the use value of knowledge, we adapt to the current and likely future effects dimension of adaptive capacity in itself, but believe that both empirical and local of changes in the global climate1–5. is also represented within each remaining traditional knowledge of weather patterns, Finding reliable ways to measure dimension proposed by the framework. environmental conditions, and likely adaptive capacity has been a top priority for Moreover, four out of the six factors effects of particular hazards fit our criteria researchers and policymakers, because the that Adger et al.4 associate with adaptive for knowledge1,10. capacity to adapt is a necessary condition capacity rely to some extent on knowledge. We believe that knowledge, broadly of successful adaptation1. Numerous Knowledge also features prominently at defined, is a powerful determinant of indicators have been developed — the policy level, and the IPCC considers adaptive capacity for several reasons. First, including ‘education, income, and health’ a ‘lack of knowledge’ to be a possible and most generally, knowledge allows as well as access to financial, technological constraint on adaptation2. Furthermore, humans to make sense of their world, and it and institutional resources1. However, early since the Marrakesh Accords in 2001, most is on the basis of this understanding of the research on vulnerability and adaptive international frameworks for capacity world that we evaluate possible actions and capacity indices failed to adequately building related to climate change have select those we believe to be best or most justify the indicators selected to track emphasized the importance of producing useful. The better an actor’s knowledge of adaptation potential6,7. and sharing high-quality knowledge4,10. current and probable future environmental Recent literature has attempted to In light of this work, we argue not only changes, the more likely it is that they will overcome these limitations by articulating that knowledge is a powerful determinant be able to respond to those changes in ways specific determinants of adaptive capacity of adaptive capacity, but also that framing that best serve their particular interests. and identifying the processes through adaptive capacity in terms of knowledge Knowledge also gives actors predictive which those determinants interact. In empowers actors to define adaptation power, allowing them to better prepare for a recent paper8, Eakin et al. frame the on their own terms. This invites policy likely future changes. Knowledge about the

82 NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE | VOL 5 | FEBRUARY 2015 | www.nature.com/natureclimatechange

© 2015 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved opinion & comment observed and potential effects of climatic impossible11. Actors with low ‘generic’ Because the process by which knowledge changes allows policymakers at all levels, capacities, like education and economic is produced and communicated determines, institutional actors, communities, and productivity, often face limits to adaptation to a large extent, its quality and usability, individuals to anticipate environmental that no amount or types of knowledge can evaluating an actor’s useable knowledge changes and plan effective responses overcome8. Diminished generic capacities should involve examining not just what to them. This predictive power also can, moreover, reduce the usability of they know or think they know, but how helps people deal with current climate knowledge by limiting opportunities for they came to know it12,13. For this reason, we variability, since “increased awareness of its application. For this reason, knowledge suggest that measuring inputs may actually the potential impacts of future climate might be most useful as an indicator of represent the best way to determine whether change may, in some instances, lead to the adaptive capacity for actors whose generic or not the knowledge an actor possesses is implementation of adaptation options in capacity exceeds a certain minimum likely to be effectively deployed. order to reduce vulnerability or capitalize threshold, since these actors are most Regardless of what items we choose to on opportunities”2. likely to have opportunities to incorporate measure, or how we choose to measure Furthermore, at the community level, climate change knowledge into their them, developing a useful knowledge scale and especially in poor and vulnerable decision-making processes. presents some unavoidable challenges. communities, knowledge empowers people Evaluating knowledge is difficult, and to participate more effectively in local, Measuring knowledge putting too much stock in a single national and international conversations Based on the framework outlined here, ‘knowledge score’ as an indicator of about climate change adaptation. we plan to implement a research project adaptive capacity would be unwise. We Knowledge gives the poor and vulnerable to determine whether or not knowledge believe, however, that having even a a better understanding of the kinds of functions, in practice, as a useful indicator rough measurement can help researchers resources and interventions that will be of adaptive capacity. The outcome of the better assess adaptive capacity and most useful to them and, in the case of research will, we hope, include a knowledge give policymakers a better sense of the scientific knowledge, the information and scale that can be used to assess the projects and interventions that might help vocabulary required to communicate their climate change knowledge of individuals, people deal effectively with the effects of vulnerabilities to actors with conventionally communities, institutions or nations. climate change. ❐ greater decision-making power. 1,2 1,3,4 Finally, knowledge influences other Evaluating an actor’s useable Casey Williams *, Adrian Fenton and determinants of adaptive capacity, especially Saleemul Huq1 are at 1International Centre for at the institutional, sub-national and knowledge should involve Climate Change and Development, Independent national scales. Money, technology and University, Bangladesh, Aftabuddin Road, responsive institutions can provide a general examining not just what they Bashundhara, 1229 Bangladesh. 2Hart Fellowship, infrastructure for dealing with uncertain know or think they know, but Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, environmental changes, but it is when Science Dr., Durham, North Carolina, 27708, USA. actors know which problems their money how they came to know it. 3Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and technology will have to address that and Environment, University of Leeds, Woodhouse financial and other resources become most There are, we argue, two basic ways of Lane, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. 4Centre for Climate effective. Knowledge lays the groundwork measuring knowledge. We can measure Change Economics and Policy, School of Earth and for successful adaptation by making it knowledge inputs — whether and to Environment, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, possible for actors to shift their focus from what extent an actor receives information Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. short-term to long-term solutions, invest about climate change and its effects — and *e-mail: [email protected] more in adaptation, move from a passive knowledge outputs — evidence, behavioural acceptance of environmental changes to or otherwise, that represent whether actors References a willingness to pursue possible solutions have a greater or lesser understanding of 1. IPCC Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability and, in general, shift from a reactive to a climate change. Measurable outputs might (eds Parry M. L., Canziani, O. F., Palutikof, J. P., van der Linden, P. J. & Hanson, C. E) (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2007). proactive approach to adaptation. include an actor’s understanding of climate 2. Klein, R. J. T. et al. in Climate change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, The IPCC rightly notes that access to change concepts as assessed through a and Vulnerability (eds Field, C. B., Barros, V. R. & Dokken D. J.) information about climate change does test. Knowledge inputs, on the other hand, Ch. 16, 902–927 (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2014). 2 3. Adger, W. N., Huq, S., Brown, K., Conway, D. & Hulme, M. not, by itself, expand adaptive capacity . include access to information, as well Prog. Develop. Stud. 3, 179–195 (2003). In order for climate change information as opportunities for vicarious learning, 4. Adger, W. N., Brooks, N., Bentham, G., Agnew, M. & Eriksen, S. to have value, actors must be able to direct learning (learning-by-doing) and New indicators of vulnerability and adaptive capacity Technical Report 7 (Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, 2004). transform that information into knowledge for sharing knowledge. Many factors 5. Gallopín, G. C. Global Environ. Change 16, 293–303 (2006). that allows them to modify their behaviour influence knowledge inputs, including 6. Hinkel, J. in Environmental Vulnerability Assessment in adaptive ways. Knowledge of a problem, the perceived relevance of information to (eds Patt, A. G., Schröter, D., de la Vega-Leinert, A. C. & such as climate change, and of possible an actor, the perceived credibility of that Klein, R. J. T) Ch. 13, 231–249 (Earthscan, 2008). 7. Smit, B. & Wandel, J. Global Environ. Change 16, 282–292 (2006). solutions can enable people to take adaptive information including the trustworthiness 8. Eakin, H. C., Lemos, M. C. & Nelson, D. R. measures by helping them to determine of its source, and the quality and degree Global Environ. Change 27, 1–8 (2014). which actions are most likely to produce a of communication between knowledge 9. Jones, L., Ludi, E. & Levine, S. Towards a Characterisation of 12 Adaptive Capacity: A Framework for Analysing Adaptive Capacity desired outcome and to build the sense of producers and knowledge users . Examples at the Local Level (Overseas Development Institute, 2010). self-efficacy required to take those actions. of knowledge inputs might include 10. Report of the Conference of the Parties on its Seventh Session. Even so, limits to adaptation exist. the amount and quality of training a Addendum. FCCC/CP/2001/13/Add.1 (UNFCCC, 2002). In some cases, financial, technological, community has received or the quantity of 11. Adger, W. N. et al. Climatic Change 93, 335–354 (2009). 12. Lemos, M. C., Kirchhoff, C. J. & Ramprasad, V. infrastructural, cultural and other climate change research a government has Nature Clim. Change 2, 789–794 (2012). constraints make successful adaptation conducted or commissioned. 13. Tribbia, J. & Moser, S. C. Environ. Sci. Policy 11, 315–328 (2008).

NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE | VOL 5 | FEBRUARY 2015 | www.nature.com/natureclimatechange 83