Integration of climate science and local knowledge in adaptation planning

What is it about?

The study presents a method for integration of scientific data and local knowledge to identify and prioritise community vulnerabilities to climate change, and to develop adaptation strategies that address these key vulnerabilities. A case study of a community in Northern Thailand tests the method and presents preliminary results from following the process.

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Why is it important?

The study found that there were distinct differences between the way community members and scientists view and talk about climate change and its effects on livelihoods. The community was first and foremost interested in relatively short-term periods of heat stress and irregular rainfall patterns that immediately affect key livelihood activities such as livestock and crop productivity; while the science-based analysis focused on longer-term changes in average temperature and rainfall patterns and the relevance of such changes to larger system shifts. Both viewpoints are of critical importance in developing adaptation plans that address immediate needs while keeping an eye on the trajectory of future changes. Through the merging of the two perspectives, a more holistic understanding of community vulnerability was developed, which provided the basis for designing relevant adaptation strategies.

Perspectives