Climate corridors for strategic adaptation planning
International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management
ISSN: 1756-8692
Article publication date: 20 September 2017
Issue publication date: 29 September 2017
Abstract
Purpose
Although the importance of climate change is generally acknowledged, its impacts are often not taken into account explicitly when planning development projects. This being due to limited resources, among others, this paper aims to propose a simple and low-cost approach to assess the viability of human activities under climate change.
Design/methodology/approach
Many human activities are feasible only within a narrow range of climatic conditions. Comparing such “climate corridors” with future climate projections provides an intuitive yet quantitative means for assessing needs for, and the viability of, adaptation activities under climate change.
Findings
The approach was tested within development projects in Pakistan, Peru and Tajikistan. The approach was shown to work well for forestry and agriculture, indicating positive/negative prospects for wheat in two districts in Pakistan, temperature constraints for maize in Peru and widening elevation ranges for walnut trees in Tajikistan.
Practical implications
Climate corridor analyses feed into the preparation of Local Adaptation Plans of Action in Pakistan.
Originality/value
The simplicity and robustness of climate corridor analysis allow for efficient analysis and communication of climate change impacts. It works when data availability is limited, but it can as well accommodate a wide range of complexities. It has proven to be an effective vehicle for mainstreaming climate change into adaptation planning.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
BO, CH, NS, PC, MR acknowledge financial support by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) through the Climate Change Adaptation Programme (PACC) in Peru. RN is supported by the Swiss NSF grant PZ00P2 154802. The Livelihoods Programme Hindukush is implemented by HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation and Intercooperation Pakistan with funding from SDC. The reforestation project in Tajikistan is funded by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW Development Bank and executed by the Forestry Agency under the Government of Tajikistan with the assistance of a consortium led by CARITAS Switzerland.
Citation
Orlowsky, B., Calanca, P., Ali, I., Ali, J., Elguera Hilares, A., Huggel, C., Khan, I., Neukom, R., Nizami, A., Qazi, M.A., Robledo, C., Rohrer, M., Salzmann, N. and Schmidt, K. (2017), "Climate corridors for strategic adaptation planning", International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Vol. 9 No. 6, pp. 811-828. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-12-2016-0183
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited