Guiding climate change adaptation within vulnerable natural resource management systems

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Natural Resource Management

Background:

• Climate change poses significant risks to the sustainability of natural resources in Mediterranean systems.
• Short-term, reactive management strategies are increasingly insufficient for effective resource stewardship.
• Effective climate risk management requires strategic planning that anticipates environmental changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To articulate the vulnerabilities of specific management systems to climate risk.
• To develop strategic planning responses for sustainable adaptive management.
• To critically examine research approaches supporting regional climate change adaptation decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Scenario modelling
• Applied and participatory Geographical Information Systems (GIS) modelling
• Environmental risk analysis
• Participatory action learning

Main Results:

• A partnership involving government, a Natural Resource Management Board, and the community applied and examined various research approaches.
• Stakeholder ownership of climate change issues is a baseline for effective adaptation.
• A range of social and physical science tools can guide adaptation decision-making.

Conclusions:

• Adaptive management requires a learning orientation to societal change, acknowledging both successes and failures.
• Strategic planning is crucial for regional stakeholders to manage future climate risks.
• Integrating diverse research tools enhances decision-making for climate change adaptation.