What is limiting how we imagine adaptation?

In this paper, which you can access HERE, we discuss “What is limiting how we imagine climate change adaptation?”.

We define climate adaptation imaginaries as “Individual and collective visions and social expectations for a climate-adapted future” and argue that whose visions get to be part of this “imagination” process is critical to conceptualise and define what works for adaptation.

By reviewing recent literature, we identify three reductionist approaches that are currently constraining imaginaries for adaptation:

1. Universality in adaptation
2. Nonpluralistic knowledge systems and values
3. Oversimplification of adaptation processes

We explain the implications of these three reductionist approaches for social limits and constraints to adaptation and use two modalities of adaptation (everyday adaptation and nature-based solutions) to explain based on recent scholarly findings, how to overcome the three restrictive practices noted to limit adaptation imaginaries.

"Our review indicates that expanding or adopting alternative imaginaries of adaptation can help localise adaptation practice, particularly by acknowledging the need for multiple forms of knowledge and the iterative nature of adaptation governance processes."

Cover photo: Alberto Cabello, Bilbao.