Addressing Climate Maladaptation: A New Tool for Sustainable Solutions
In the quest for climate adaptation, there exists an industry that sometimes imposes solutions that inadvertently worsen the very problems they aim to solve. These actions often come at the expense of already vulnerable communities. The story of maladaptation is not unique to a specific region; it unfolds globally, including in Aotearoa New Zealand. Here, top-down adaptation projects, rather than alleviating climate vulnerability, can actually heighten it. In response to this issue, efforts are underway to establish a monitoring and evaluation system aimed at identifying the risk of maladaptation.
Maladaptation, or the undesirable outcomes resulting from well-intentioned measures to reduce climate vulnerability, has emerged as a pressing concern. The recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlighted the increasing evidence of maladaptation, underscoring the long-term consequences of inappropriate responses to climate change. These inappropriate measures can exacerbate existing inequalities for Indigenous peoples and vulnerable groups.
Climate adaptation is not a neutral or apolitical process, often favoring technical fixes over holistic approaches. It can perpetuate problematic practices and exclude Indigenous voices, impacting resource distribution, democratic governance, and Indigenous sovereignty. These issues can hinder community-driven bottom-up adaptation, sidelining it in favor of national agendas influenced by international politics.
Addressing maladaptive strategies is critical for achieving climate justice.
The Situation in Aotearoa New Zealand:
Climate change adaptation research in New Zealand is still in its early stages. Adaptation projects primarily focus on flood protection, nature-based solutions, and coastal hazard prevention. These efforts often follow a framework of "dynamic adaptation policy pathways" (DAPP), designed to remain flexible and adaptable as new information emerges.
However, critiques have arisen, emphasizing the need for greater involvement of Māori and local communities, shared governance across government levels, resolution of funding barriers, and avoidance of investments that create future problems.
A case in point is the Clifton to Tangoio coastal hazards strategy in Hawke's Bay, which encountered policy ambiguity and funding issues. This led to potential managed retreat decisions after land was deemed uninhabitable following Cyclone Gabrielle.
There is also a noted lack of synergy between planned and community-driven climate adaptation activities, with council-planned measures often exacerbating climate vulnerability for disadvantaged communities.
Addressing Maladaptation:
In response to these challenges, a group of Māori, Pasifika, Pākehā, and tauiwi scholars and practitioners has developed a maladaptation assessment tool for New Zealand. This tool aims for genuine sustainability and justice, evaluating the risk of maladaptation. It serves as the foundation for a national monitoring system with regulatory and educational roles.
The tool's goals are to shed light on the social and ecological impacts of climate adaptation, addressing the limitations of current audit systems, and prioritizing community well-being and the risks posed by both climate change and adaptation.
This perspective acknowledges the complex history of Indigenous displacement, forced landscape alteration, and ongoing social crises while tackling climate adaptation.
This article maintains a professional, neutral tone and offers a clear explanation of the issues surrounding climate maladaptation in Aotearoa New Zealand and the efforts to address these challenges through a new assessment tool. It is suitable for both general citizens and environmental experts within the 20-40 age range who are interested in climate adaptation and justice.
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