3C: From Adaptation to Transformation: What if adaptation is not enough?

This session will explore how both adaptation and transformation together can contribute to an empowering discourse that supports political agency and collaborative actions to reduce the impacts and risks of dangerous climate change.

08.30 - 12.00 Thursday October 25th

Location: Vingen 1-2

What if climate change adaptation is not enough to reduce the risks and vulnerability associated with the types of impacts that are expected to occur in the next century?  What types of transformations are needed to avoid the ecological, social, economic, cultural, political and psychological impacts of climate change?  

As the observed and projected impacts of climate change become more visible and better understood, it is increasingly recognized that small adjustments may be insufficient and that “transformational adaptations” that involve novel, large-scale actions will be required. Yet there are also broader and deeper interpretations of adaptation that do not involve merely complying with or adjusting to impacts that are already occurring or expected to occur.

Adaptation here is seen as a process of social transformation that shifts systems and cultures.

Organizers
Karen O´Brien, Department of sociology and human geography, University of Oslo
Linda Sygna, University of Oslo

Programme

Talk 1: Enabling or Constraining Transformative Change in Local Livelihoods.
Marianne Karlsson, Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Norway

Talk 2: A theory of sustainable climate change adaptation.
Carlo Aall, Western Norway Research Institute, Norway

Talk 3: Pathways for adaptation and transformation: A bottom up view.
Lars Otto Naess, Institute of Development Studies, UK

Talk 4: Do Ecosystem-Based Approaches to Adaptation Hold Greater Potential for Empowerment? Evidence from Sri Lanka.
Stephen Woroniecki, Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS), Sweden

Talk 5: Visualizing urban climate transitions: Developing transformative capacity of local decision-makers and climate coordinators.
Erik Glaas, Linköping University, Sweden

Worlds Café
This world café will explore some key questions raised in the earlier presentations that will trigger participants to collectively elaborate on the relationship between adaptation and transformation.

Summary

 

This session will be held in English.

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