Reckien; Flacke (?)
Local Climate Change Planning (Q6 Elective); Risk-based Planning Studio
Dear All, I have already published 2 topics, but would like to give away one topic to Keeton, Rachel over the course of the year. If that is not accepted, I need to retract one of the topics. I have sent an inquiry to Mafalda Madureira.
Climate Change is one of the greatest societal challenges of this century calling for intensive mitigation of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions (IPCC, 2013) as well as adaptation to its effects (IPCC, 2014). Cities with their large number of people, industry, and assets are particularly important in that respect. In many urban areas urban mitigation and adaptation plans are adopted and actions being implemented. However, in a number of context substantial side-effects of adaptation measures are identified (Eriksen et al., 2021; Magnan et al., 2016). These side-effects can render adaptation useless at best, and sector and communities in need of adaptation worse off at the worst. Such detrimental side-effects are identified on vulnerable populations or through increases in greenhouse gas emissions, which are amongst others defined as “mal-adaptation”.
This MSc project shall investigate positive and negative side-effects of adaptation in a city of the South with adaptation experience. The student will first review local climate policies of selected cities in the Global South, determining which city has substantial adaptation planning and implementation experience. Based on adaptation experience and fieldwork suitability subsequently the city example will be chosen. Following from that the student will review conceptual and methodological frameworks of maladaptation and based on that develop an operational framework for studying a particular aspect of maladaptation (either side-effects on vulnerable groups, or on greenhouse gas emissions, …). Based on the students’ preference one of these dimensions of maladaptation can be chosen and will be further investigated in the case study region. This may involve oral interviews, questionnaire surveys, or focus group discussions. Finally the student will report on both positive and negative side-effects of adaptation separately—or even develop a methodology of (quantitatively) compare negative and positive side-effects, e.g. by asking for a weighting scheme when doing the interviews.
Eriksen et al. (submitted): Adaptation interventions and their effect on vulnerability in developing countries: help, hindrance or irrelevance? Submitted to: World Development
Magnan A.K., S. E. L. F., Duvat V.K.E., Submitted: Frontiers in climate change adaptation science. Current Climate Change Reports.
Magnan, A., 2014: Avoiding maladaptation to climate change: towards guiding principles. SAPI EN. S. Surveys and Perspectives Integrating Environment and Society, (7.1).
Magnan, A. K. et al., 2016: Addressing the risk of maladaptation to climate change. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 7 (5), 646-665, doi:10.1002/wcc.409.