Adaptive Planning
The complexity and uncertainty of sustainable development demands that our systems of governance and our policies be adaptive.
In fact, instead of helping, governance and policy that are not adaptive could actually hinder the ability of households, communities and businesses to cope with and adapt to change.
- ADAPTool Applications: IISD’s ADAPTool has been used to analyze a range of Canadian policies for the ability to support sector-specific adaptation needs (e.g., in mining, forestry, agriculture), as well as to determine their own adaptive capacity. Successful pilot applications included a Manitoba pilot in 2012 with a suite of agricultural policies in partnership with the Prairie Regional Adaptation Collaborative. More recently, the ADAPTool was used to analyze policies in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Nova Scotia. As well, a beta version of the ADAPTool for new policies was developed and pilot tested. More information on the results of these analyses and summaries, as well as guidance on how to use both versions of the ADAPTool, is available here.
- Creating Adaptive Policies: A Guide for Policy-Making in an Uncertain World: IISD's guide for creating adaptive policies was designed to help decision makers and planners build a coherent set of governance and policy-making processes capable of anticipating change and performing successfully when faced with surprises.
- Adaptive Policies Interactive Overview Presentation: Click below to access the adaptive policies overview. This interactive, cross-platform presentation answers several FAQs, including: Why are adaptive policies necessary? What are some examples of successful policies? What are the adaptive policies tools? How can you apply the adaptive policy tools?
- IISD’s ADAPTool (Adaptive Design & Assessment Policy Tool): This policy self-assessment tool is designed to help policy-makers take stock of a suite of existing policies and programs that are being implemented to help stakeholders deal with a specific stressor (i.e., changing physical climate or market pricing shocks). ADAPTool is a Microsoft Excel workbook-based program, and takes the policy analyst through a series of questions to: (i) better define the vulnerability of specific economic sectors to a stressor; (ii) assess the ability of a suite of programs and policies to contribute to necessary adaptation actions and stakeholder adaptive capacity; and (iii) gauge the ability of the suite of programs and policies to address unanticipated stakeholder needs.
- Blog
What the UN Panel's Special Climate Change Report Means for Canada
We comb the IPCC special report to show how Canada already is, and increasingly will be, affected by global warming and climate change.
Read More - Guidebook
ALivE Adaptation, Livelihoods and Ecosystem Planning Tool: User Manual
The ALivE user manual provides detailed guidance on applying the computer-based ALivE tool designed to support the planning of effective and feasible ecosystem-based adaptation options.
Read More - Policy Brief
sNAPshot: Kenya's County Climate Change Funds
This policy brief looks at how five county governments in Kenya have established County Climate Change Funds (CCCFs) that identify, prioritize and finance investments to reduce climate risk and achieve adaptation priorities.
Read More - Policy Brief
sNAPshot: Albania’s Approach to Integrating Adaptation into Domestic Budgeting
Building on an earlier overview brief on domestic public finance options for NAPs, this sNAPshot takes a closer look at how Albania is integrating climate adaptation into its medium-term budget process.
Read More - Report
The Adaptive Watershed: Training program for inclusive, ecosystem-based watershed management
The Adaptive Watershed (TAW) is watershed-based ecosystem management that explicitly addresses the need to understand and manage for a rapidly changing climate, while also incorporating the needs of vulnerable communities and women.
Read More - Briefing Note
Financing High Performance Climate Adaptation in Agriculture: Climate Bonds for Multi-Functional Water Harvesting Infrastructure on the Canadian Prairies
This article explores distributed water harvesting, a climate change adaptation strategy that can offer the co-benefit of enhancing ecosystem services.
Read More - Policy Brief
sNAPshot: Domestic public finance for implementation of NAPs
This overview policy brief introduces the topic of using domestic public finance for the implementation of National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes.
Read More - Policy Brief
sNAPshot: Grenada's Approach to Initiating Sector Integration of Adaptation Considerations
No single approach to integrating climate adaptation considerations into sector planning exists.However, concrete examples are emerging as more...
Read More - Data brief
sNAPshot: Philippines's Approach to Initiating Sector Integration of Adaptation Considerations
This sNAPshot looks at how the Philippines initiated sectoral integration of climate change adaptation considerations, and how this compares with approaches that other countries are
Read More - Data brief
Rapid Scenario-Planning Exercise to Review Risks of the Agricultural Sector
The brief summarizes the outcomes of a rapid scenario-planning exercise to stress test a series of business risk-management programs under a set of plausible economic, social and environmental conditions.
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