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FRACTAL Principles

Throughout the FRACTAL project, the team determined several lessons for research and society, particularly with regard to working towards inclusive, contextual, and proactive climate research and action. Engage with the principles that underpinned the climate resilience work in the project.
weADAPT Knowledge Manager
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  • 19th Jan 2022
  • 4 min read
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Posts its from a Learning Lab

Introduction

During the FRACTAL project, transdisciplinary learning processes were implemented that aimed to support climate resilient development in nine southern African cities. These processes resulted in several lessons for research and society, particularly with regard to working towards inclusive, contextual, and proactive climate research and action.

This article provides an overview of the principles developed from the FRACTAL project.

*This weADAPT article is an abridged version of the original text, which can be downloaded from the right-hand column. Please access the original text for research purposes, full references, or to quote text.

Methods

The team brainstormed principles that underpinned climate resilience work in the project. Evidence from the programme was qualitatively analysed using the principles as a framework to uncover the mindsets and practices that supported ‘the FRACTAL approach.’

The Twelve Principles

1. Respect & Trust: Listen to one another, support emotional connection and have respectful conversations

  • Commit time to investing in relationships.
  • Design activities to foster understanding of one another, and find common problems and areas of interest.
  • Maintain transparency with regards to intentions of different partners and what is (or is not) possible.
  • Allow emotions to surface to support the complexity of interpreting and using climate science in a way that is meaningful.

2. Bigger Picture Thinking:Acknowledge that risks related to climate variability and change result from multiple interconnected drivers

  • Include a variety of stakeholders – different groups of people hold knowledge about the drivers of climate risk.
  • Humbly present climate knowledge as connected to a wider view.
  • Meet frequently and preferably face-to-face to “join up the dots”.
  • Exchange knowledge amongst participants to facilitate the development of a holistic understanding of climate information, context, baseline challenges, city goals, potential development pathways and decision-making processes.