Institute of Development Studies

Poverty and Adaptation

Addressing the concerns of the poorest and most vulnerable is at the heart of IDS’ research on adaptation to climate change. Many challenges posed by climate change are closely linked to issues that have been part of the development agenda for many decades. We are drawing on the unique experience of IDS in development research to respond in particular to two key challenges:

• How to improve the capacity of the poor to tackle the effects of climate change?
• How to ensure that pro-poor development strategies fully integrate considerations of vulnerability and adaptation?

Our research is applied and action-oriented. Our work addresses gaps in knowledge and understanding on the many causes of vulnerability to climate change, the variations amongst different groups of poor and vulnerable people, as well as processes of adaptation. We work closely with global development partners and organise our work into the following key programme areas:

• Household and intra-household level research examining social and economic differentiation, such as children’s rights, the role of people’s local knowledge and capacity, and gender
• Delivering adaptation assistance, examining how delivery mechanisms vary between countries, how to promote mainstreaming, and project and programme screening tools
• Understanding linkages across scales of governance in adaptation processes in key sectors such as health, agriculture, and water
• Analysing policy processes and bridging gaps between research, policy and practice.
• Helping to reframe debates on poverty and adaptation, such as rethinking risk communication theory, linking resilience theory with social justice, new pathways approaches to governance and sustainability.

Poverty and Adaptation Projects




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• Adaptation screening tools for development cooperation: Piloting ORCHID and other approaches - IDS is involved in a range initiatives to develop, test, discuss and disseminate tools for screening and assessment of climate and disaster risk. (Ongoing)
• AfricaAdapt - The Network facilitates the flow of climate change adaptation knowledge for sustainable livelihoods between researchers, policy makers, civil society organisations and communities who are vulnerable to climate variability and change across the continent. (Ongoing)
• Building a Climate Smart Future - The climate smart approach focuses on enabling organisations to effectively manage the risks and opportunities presented by climate change. (Ongoing)
• Child Rights and Climate Change - This research in Kenya and Cambodia gathers the voices of children in Kenya and Cambodia on climate risks and considers their priorities for adaptation. (Ongoing)
• Children in a Changing Climate - IDS is working with leading research and development organisations to secure children and your people a voice in preventing and adapting to climate change – from their communities to the UN. (Ongoing)



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Poverty and Adaptation Publications




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• Christoplos, I., Anderson, S., Arnold, M., Galaz, V., Hedger, M., Klein, R. and Le Goulven, K. (2009) 'The Human Dimension of Climate Adaptation'
• Oswald, K. (2009) 'The Role of Social Protection in Adapting to Climate Change', Climate Lite , Brighton: IDS
• Peskett, L., Grist, N., Hedger, M., Lennartz-Walker, T. and Scholz, I. (2009) 'Climate change challenges for European Development Co-operation'
• Tanner, T., Garcia, M., Lazcano, J., Molina, F., Molina, G., Rodriguez, G., Tribunalo, B. and Seballos, F. (2009) 'The heartbeat of the community: Children’s voice and action in disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate change', Participatory Learning and Action 60
• Tanner, T. and Mitchell, T. (2008) 'Poverty in a Changing Climate', IDS Bulletin 39.4, Brighton: IDS



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