From Adaptation Knowledge Networks to Adaptation Stories

1 Introduction to the project
2 Objectives
3 Case studies
4 Adaptation Layers available to download

Introduction to the project

Climate change poses a significant risk to the sustenance of future generations in many places and a challenge for sustainable development planning everywhere. Adaptation is a socio-institutional process, which when supported by data, tools and examples can provide a flexible avenue for exploring robust responses to these risks.

One of the major challenges facing the adaptation community is the paucity of tools and established methodologies to understand a project, country or community’s risk in the context of climate variability and change. Moreover, delivering information to decision makers is often a bottleneck in turning research results into effective decisions and policies. There are volumes of data available to decision makers from various sources, many of which are available via the Internet at little or minimal cost. This however is of little use to non-technicians who neither have the time to track down such data sources or the expertise to reformat, re-project and load them into appropriate information system tools.

Analytical technologies and tools are continually maturing to provide more sophisticated tools for analyzing, visualizing, managing, and disseminating information. Successful integration and dissemination is dependent on creating flexible and scalable tools and methodological frameworks that enable the integration, analysis and communication of data and results in a systematic way that is both useful to researchers and accessible to decision makers.

We are addressing these needs, by exploring the potential of using Google Earth for displaying climate risk information relevant to decision maker. This will be conducted by exploring avenues for the deployment of a Google Earth Adaptation Layer, which will include an institutional and project scoping component, along with interactive guidance, utilities and output from the Climate Change Explorer via the Google Earth interface and evaluate the options available in using Google Earth as a technical platform for promoting and supporting information sharing and planning for adaptation.

Objectives

1. To identify user-perspectives on the interface and content development of the innovative weADAPT / Google Earth platform

2. To identify the structures and systems of decision-making for adaptation through an evaluation of social network and social learning processes, and to assess the implications on these on implementing new collaborative / knowledge / decision tools.

3. To evaluate the effectiveness of the collaborative platform as a vehicle for engaging stakeholders and engendering wider participation in decision-making

4. To assess the impact of using the collaborative platform on decision-making processes, experiences and outcomes

Case studies

Applications of the use of this methodology are underway in Kenya and California exploring climate change adaptation knowledge networks, potential adaptation options and the very different decision making contexts - similar methodological approaches will be applied in both cases. For example, a social network approach will provide insights on the flow of this information and how this chnages over time, while 'adaptation stories' using Google Earth 'fly-bys' will describe the different socio-institutional contexts within which adaptation takes place.

California

At the State level, the California study has explored several applications in Google Earth and Google Maps for scientists working on climate change science, impacts and adaptation in California. Data and information are presented in various ways, including thematic overlays, animations, scientific reports and interactive charts and tables. These layers cover topics ranging from downscaled climate projections, fire threat, landcover and habitat, population projections, and sea level rise in the bay area. For more details, please contact Vishal Mehta

Animations, WEAP integration and much more....

At a local level, a field study is being conducted to explore how climate change is impacting local communities. The macro-level State-wide impacts and the micro-level local impacts are being described in a 'story of adaptation' use Google Earth technology. For more details, please contact Sukaina Bharwani.

Kenya

Our work in Kenya is exploring climate change adaptation knowledge networks through continued dialogue with participants from our workshop in February 2009, to find ways to improve knowledge sharing capacity and strengthen institutional links and collaboration.

A new application of the Google Earth Adaptation Layer is being developed for Kenya which will enable improved communication of high priority issues, through an 'adaptation story'. For more details, please contact Sukaina Bharwani.

Workshop on Knowledge Mapping and Supporting Adaptation Decisions in Kenya Tuesday 10th February 2009, UNEP, Gigiri, Kenya.

Please respond to our online survey! - Telling your story using Google Earth

Stories of ACCCA Pilot Actions

ACCCA stands for Advancing Capacity to support Climate Change Adaptation. Funded by the EC, UNITAR and UK/DEFRA (among others), the project was implemented over 3 years and a half by SEI, START, CSAG, ENDA and other partners in 14 pilot actions located in different countries of Africa and Asia. The aim of the project is to enhance local capacity for adaptation planning. To do so, the project aimed at creating a two-way dialogue between the climate science community, policy makers and practitioners, to enhance capacity to understand climate information and incorporate it into development planning and robust decision making processes that will lead to effective adaptation actions.

To share and support the outreach of knowledge generated by the 14 pilot actions, we have crated an ACCCA Layer prototype that synthesizes the different projects, risk communication strategies developed, and climate data used by the pilot actions for adaptation decisions.

If you would like to know more about the lessons learned in the project on climate information communication and climate risk communication, please download the synthesis report here

Adaptation Layers available to download

Prototype Adaptation Layer

New applications of the Adaptation Layer concept

SEI 20th Anniversairy Layer
ACCCA Layer
California layers and animations
Adaptation stories from Kenya
The economic impacts of climate change adaptation in East Africa

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