Armstrong et al 2015 NHESS - Climate change adaptation frameworks - coastal Suffolk.pdf (2.26 MB)
Climate change adaptation frameworks: an evaluation of plans for coastal Suffolk, UK
journal contribution
posted on 2016-01-25, 10:10 authored by Jennifer C. Armstrong, Robert WilbyRobert Wilby, R.J. NichollsThis paper asserts that three principal frameworks for climate change adaptation can be recognised in the literature: scenario-led (SL), vulnerability-led (VL) and decisioncentric (DC) frameworks. A criterion is developed to differentiate these frameworks in recent adaptation projects. The criterion features six key hallmarks as follows: (1) use of climate model information; (2) analysis of metrics/units; (3) socio-economic knowledge; (4) stakeholder engagement; (5) adaptation of implementation mechanisms; (6) tier of adaptation implementation. The paper then tests the validity of this approach using adaptation projects on the Suffolk coast, UK. Fourteen adaptation plans were identified in an online survey. They were analysed in relation to the hallmarks outlined above and assigned to an adaptation framework. The results show that while some adaptation plans are primarily SL, VL or DC, the majority are hybrid, showing a mixture of DC/VL and DC/SL characteristics. Interestingly, the SL/VL combination is not observed, perhaps because the DC framework is intermediate and attempts to overcome weaknesses of both SL and VL approaches. The majority (57 %) of adaptation projects generated a risk assessment or advice notes. Further development of this type of framework analysis would allow better guidance on approaches for organisations when implementing climate change adaptation initiatives, and other similar proactive long-term planning.
Funding
EPSRC is acknowledged for providing the funding for the research though the ARCC programme and the ARCoES project: EP/I035390/1.
History
School
- Social Sciences
Department
- Geography and Environment
Published in
Natural Hazards and Earth System SciencesVolume
15Issue
11Pages
2511 - 2524Citation
ARMSTRONG, J.A., WILBY, R.L. and NICHOLLS, R.J., 2015. Climate change adaptation frameworks: An evaluation of plans for coastal Suffolk, UK. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 15(11), pp. 2511-2524.Publisher
© The Authors. Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union.Version
- VoR (Version of Record)
Publisher statement
This work is made available according to the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) licence. Full details of this licence are available at: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Publication date
2015Notes
This is an Open Access Article. It is published by Copernicus Publications under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence (CC BY). Full details of this licence are available at: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ISSN
1561-8633eISSN
1684-9981Publisher version
Language
- en