CASE STUDY: ADAPTATION IN THE HINDU-KUSH HIMALAYAS Lisa Schipper 8 January 2010
Mar 27, 2015
CASE STUDY: ADAPTATION IN THE HINDU-KUSH HIMALAYAS
Lisa Schipper8 January 2010
Brief project overview
Purpose of project to document and assess strategies used by mountain people to cope with and adapt to variations in water resources
Linked case studies with national policy studies, focused on disaster risk reduction and adaptation
Assumptions
Assumed people’s livelihoods already include intentions and actions to ward off risk
Actions are insufficient to manage extreme events and major changes
Not all responses are adaptation
Key to shifting from coping to adapting is reducing vulnerability Coping strategies for floods and droughts may have + and –
implications for long-term resilience & well being
Good governance
With good governance and planning that takes into account climate risk, infrastructure development can contribute to enhancing water security and flood management
Example: Nepal trenches
Social capital
Social networks and local institutions play a vital role in enhancing adaptive capacity
Example: Chitral migrant networks
Cultural norms shift
Cultural norms affect people’s adaptive behaviour. Despite being deeply rooted, they can shift over time in response to the needs
Example: Assam fishers, liquor production and house construction
Context specific
Factors enabling adaptation may also be constraining
Example: flood management in Bihar and Assam
Institutions and policies
National institutions and policies strongly affect people’s ability to adapt at the local level, but the national level is rarely informed by adaptation concerns and priorities
Example: All cases
Diversification
Livelihood diversification emerges as a central adaptation strategy, but support through institutions and policy is needed for long-term sustainability
Example: All cases
Finding a balance
Adaptation requires striking a balance between short-term priorities and long-term goals
Example: All cases
Conclusions
Cultural norms: not as rigid as many assume
Poor people in extreme landscapes: how to create links between national policy approaches to strengthen resilience and local level?
How to ensure that behaviour doesn’t shift toward maladaptation?
More information about projecthttp://books.icimod.org/index.php/search/publication/665