Stakeholders in the adaptation process

Identifying and engaging relevant stakeholders is key to the success of any adaptation assessment and its implementation. The more comprehensive the knowledge and skills base represented by the stakeholders engaged, and the better informed the stakeholder community is about the process of adaptation and underlying factors, the more likely that the resulting decisions will be successful. It is important to ensure that stakeholders are able to build a common understanding of the nature and scope of the climate risks, and can develop socially, economically, environmentally and culturally appropriate adaptation strategies and measures.

Who these stakeholders are will depend on the nature of the adaptive response being considered. They can include:

• Individuals with knowledge or skills to make and implement the required decision(s);
• Representatives from the organisation considering the adaptive responses;
• Relevant professional groups;
• Additional scientific and technical expertise;
• Members of regulatory and legislative organisations (professional, government, and other non-governmental); and
• Communities who may be affected by the introduction of a particular adaptive response (positive or negative impacts).

Stakeholders often represent the interests of their respective community and are able to act as agents of change.

There are often trade-offs and a range of adaptive strategies or measures that could be taken. Ensuring that a broad range of perspectives are considered within the assessment and decision-making processes will increase the acceptability and effectiveness of identified adaptation measures, as there will be differing values and expectations held by different stakeholders that should be considered. Taking this broader perspective is particularly important as many adaptation measures (e.g. land-use adaptation measures) can bring both benefits and losses depending on one’s perspective.

Stakeholders are also important in identifying optional adaptation measures where there are potential conflicts or synergistic opportunities. Adaptation measures adopted should not make it more difficult for others to manage their climate risks (or other development goals). Adaptation-constraining or maladaptation measures should be avoided, and modifying and/or combining adaptation measures with other initiatives may provide synergistic opportunities. Failing to identify these constraints and opportunities can lead to the possibility of increased costs, lost opportunistic savings and damaged relationships/images.