The Adaptive Challenge of Climate Change

This book presents a new perspective on climate change for researchers and policymakers in the environmental social sciences and humanities.

Karen O'Brien (Edited by), Elin Selboe (Edited by)

9781107022980, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 7 August 2015

346 pages, 18 b/w illus. 18 tables
26.1 x 18.5 x 2.3 cm, 0.81 kg

This book presents a new perspective on adaptation to climate change. It considers climate change as more than a problem that can be addressed solely through technical expertise. Instead, it approaches climate change as an adaptive challenge that is fundamentally linked to beliefs, values and worldviews, as well as to power, politics, identities and interests. Drawing on case studies from high-income countries, the book argues that it is time to consider adaptation to climate change as a challenge of social, personal and political transformations. The authors represent a variety of fields and perspectives, illustrating the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to the problem. The book will be of interest to researchers, policymakers and advanced students in the environmental sciences, social sciences and humanities, as well as to decision makers and practitioners interested in new ideas about adapting to climate change.

1. Climate change as an adaptive challenge Karen O'Brien and Elin Selboe
2. The intangibles of climate change adaptation: philosophy, ethics and values Bertrand Guillaume and Stijn Neuteleers
3. Urban climate change policy transitions: views from New York City and London William Solecki, Lesley Patrick and Zoe Sprigings
4. Planning for climate change adaptation in urban areas Jan Erling Klausen, Inger-Lise Saglie, Knut Bjørn Stokke and Marte Winswold
5. The challenge of governing adaptation in Australia Steven Waller and Jon Barnett
6. Emerging equity and justice concerns for climate change adaptation: a case study of New York State Peter Vancura and Robin Leichenko
7. Transforming towards or away from sustainability? How conflicting interests and aspirations influence local adaptation Siri Eriksen and Elin Selboe
8. Opportunistic adaptation: new discourses on oil, equity and environmental security Berit Kristoffersen
9. Place attachment, identity and adaptation Tare Quinn, Irene Lorenzoni and W. Neil Adger
10. Values and traditional practices in adaptation to climate change - evidence from a Q method study in two communities in Labrador, Canada Johanna Wolf, Ilana Allice and Trevor Bell
11. Exploring vulnerability and adaptation narratives among fishers, farmers and municipal planners in Northern Norway Grete K. Hovelsrud, Jennifer J. West and Halvor Dannevig
12. Changes in organizational culture, changes in adaptive capacity? Examples from the Norwegian and Swedish electricity sectors Tor Håkon Inderberg
13. From informant to actor to leader: social-ecological inventories as a catalyst for leadership development in participatory community climate change adaptation Bradley May
14. Participation and learning for climate change adaptation: a case study of the Swedish forestry sector Åsa Gerger Swartling, Oskar Wallgren, Richard J. T. Klein, Johanna Ulmanen and Maja Dahlin
15. Integral GIS: widening the frame of reference for adaptation planning Lynn D. Rosentrater
16. There must be more: communication to close the cultural divide Susanne C. Moser and Carol L. Berzonsky
17. Social transformation: the real adaptive challenge Karen O'Brien and Elin Selboe.

Subject Areas: Social impact of environmental issues [RNT], Conservation of the environment [RNK], Environmentalist, conservationist & Green organizations [RNB], Environmentalist thought & ideology [RNA], The environment [RN], Environmental economics [KCN]