Working alongside our global neighbours, co-developing knowledge and sharing expertise as we rapidly respond to similar climate change impacts.
Successful adaptation to the challenges of rising temperatures and sea levels requires collaborative action on an international level.
We have applied our expertise in engaging communities in planning for climate change and identifying adaptation actions in the Pacific Island nations of Kiribati, Tonga and Papua New Guinea and South Asian countries of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Graduate studies in this expertise area
- Adaptive co-management of small tank cascade systems of Sri Lanka in a changing climate – PhD Bhathiya Kekulandala (in progress)
- Women’s role in adaptation to climate change in coastal Bangladesh – PhD Momtaj Khalil (in progress)
- Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Ecosystems Services for Environmental Governance in a Post-Conflict Scenario in the Colombian Amazon A Case Study with Kakua People – PhD Paloma Alvarez (in progress)
- Agricultural vulnerability to climate change at district level in Pakistan – PhD Faisal Nadeem (in progress)
PROJECT | 2016-2020
Engaging communities and government in biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation in Papua New Guinea
Funded by USAID, this project sought to empower communities in Papua New Guinea to lead their adaptation responses to climate change.
PROJECT | 2018-2021
From urban waste to sustainable value chains: linking sanitation and agriculture through innovative partnerships in Sri Lanka
This applied research project in Sri Lanka connects the waste management, sanitation and agriculture sectors through the circular economy, to improve food security and environmental health. This project is a partnership between ISF, the International Water Management Institute, Janathakshan Ltd, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Department of Agriculture.
PROJECT | 2016
Dynamic Adaptation Management Pathways for remote water supplies
This USAID funded project conducted a series of community workshops in the pacific island nation of Kiribati to train communities to identify viable water sources under a changing climate. A Dynamic Adaptive Management Process (DAMP) handbook was then developed to build the knowledge and skills of facilitators to lead participatory community decision-making processes to respond to fresh water shortages in Kiribati. It provides facilitators with a range of tools for leading conversations at the community level. It also helps to build skills and knowledge that will enable the community to participate in identifying relevant and appropriate solutions for their context.
To build the capacity to identify indicators/triggers among communities in the outer islands of Kiribati, the DAMP approach drew on various knowledge systems – including traditional knowledge – to define the limits of specific water-related adaptation strategies. This will empower them to monitor adaptation strategies and subsequently contribute to the development of future adaptation strategies that will support the diversification of water resources.
The DAMP handbook draws on the experience of the authors and outcomes of a training workshop, and is aimed at community facilitators from non-government organisations, local and national governments, and service providers. It outlines a set of tools to better understand the impacts of climate change on possible water supply options and identify triggers for when a new water option should be planned. The tools and processes that are presented are flexible enough to be applied to a range of situations and sectors.
Client: USAID
RESEARCH OUTPUTS
Dynamic Adaptive Management Process: A Facilitators Guide (Guide)
A Knowledge Network Approach to Understanding Water Shortage Adaptation in Kiribati (2020) (Book Chapter)
Media
Islands of Resilience: USAID partners with island nation Kiribati to address the climate crisis - USAID website, April 2022