Year: 2008
Type: article
Abstract: T he way in which countries and communities adapt to climate change is now at the forefront of climate change policy, and rightly so. Measures to mitigate the impact of climate change have been slow and sparse, and governments in developing countries are demanding a greater focus on, and funding for, adaptation, with countries such as Bangladesh leading the way (Kaur and Nicol, 2008). There is, however, no clear path to successful adaptation. What are the best strategies? Who will pay? Above all, who should benefit most? The poorest countries, and the poorest people within them, have contributed least to greenhouse gas emissions, but often face the greatest future risks from climate change. Propoor adaptation must ensure that they benefit most from adaptation. This Opinion argues that an examination of the assets available to poor people is a useful entry point for pro-poor adaptation strategies. It outlines three approaches: Opportunities and Risks of Climate Change and Disasters (ORCHID), Community-Based Adaptation (CBA), and an Urban Asset Adaptation Framework. While the importance of assets is implied in the first two, it is only explicit in the third, which suggests one way pro-poor adaptation might become a reality.
Author: Martin Prowse
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W782412246