The dual approach to climate change adaptation in official development assistance

ABSTRACT

A dual approach is an effective method for formulating climate change adaptation measures. It combines both a top-down approach, whereby plans are formulated based on climate change projections, and a bottom-up approach, in which plans are formulated based on the situation in the target region. I analyse Japan’s advanced measures and a development case in Timor-Leste, where some level of adaptation effectiveness is expected. In Timor-Leste, the inadequacy of scientific data makes the top-down approach difficult, but the bottom-up approach based on thorough field surveys can promote climate-resilient development which can be expected to have high adaptation effects in such circumstances. To achieve this, it is necessary to complement scientific data with available data, further strengthen the current system in which each actor thinks independently and works and collaborates with others, and train facilitators who can understand scientific data.

KEYWORDS:

• Climate change adaptation
• development assistance
• top-down approach
• bottom-up approach
• climate-resilient development
• SDG 1: no poverty
• SDG 13: climate action

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Professor Ryo Fujikura and Professor Toshihiko Takesada of Hosei University, Specially Appointed Professor Nobuo Mimura and Professor Makoto Tamura of Ibaraki University, and Dr Yoshifumi Masago, Director of the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Office, and the National Institute for Environmental Studies, for their helpful suggestions in conducting this study. I would like to thank Editage (www.editage.jp) for English language editing. Part of this study was supported by the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (JPMEERF20S11801) of the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.