Avoiding Maladaptation This module provides a more detailed look at the issue of maladaptation and includes the following: The links and conflicts between mitigation and adaptation Adaptation and sustainable development How to identify and avoid maladaptation The potential for mal-mitigation

1. Online Training Resource: Climate Adaptation
Evaluating Techniques

2. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
Avoiding Maladaptation
This module provides a more detailed look at the issue of maladaptation and includes the following:
• The links and conflicts between mitigation and adaptation
• Adaptation and sustainable development
• How to identify and avoid maladaptation
• The potential for malmitigation
Climate Adaptation
Deborah Davies, Carlo Aall, Eli Heiberg, 2012
Online Training Resource

3. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
Defining Maladaptation
Attempts to define and find measures of successful adaptation imply that adaptation can be
unsuccessful…given the spatial and temporal complexity of climate change problems and responses,
it is likely that actions that are judged by one group to be successful adaptations will be judged by
groups in other places and times as being unsuccessful.
Yet unsuccessful adaptation need not mean that adaptation has significantly increased vulnerability—
it may simply mean an action did not work. There is, however, the possibility that adaptation actions
do positively increase the vulnerability of other groups and sectors in the future. Such outcomes have
been referred to as ‘maladptations’.
Barnett, J., & O'Neill, S. (2010). Environmental Management. Environmental Management, 20(2), 211-213.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

4. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
Defining Maladaptation
Maladaptation occurs when adaptation measures do not increase resilience/ adaptive capacity
or reduce vulnerability.
Barnet and O’Neill identify five pathways to maladaptation (2010) - these occur in any adaptation
project that involves one or more of the following:
1)Increased greenhouse gas emissions- thus conflicting with mitigation measures
2)Disproportionately burden the most vulnerable
3)High opportunity costs
4)Reduced incentives to adapt
5)Set paths that limit the choices available to future generations -
Barnett, J., & O'Neill, S. (2010). Environmental Management. Environmental Management, 20(2), 211-213.
Maladaptations can also be defined as those actions which are:
• inappropriate, not proportionate or cost-ineffective solutions;
• environmentally unsustainable;
• in conflict with other long term policy objectives.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

5. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
Maladaptation
The following case study example has been taken from Jon Barnett’s analysis of a new pipeline
and desalinisation plant in Melbourne, Australia. Developed in response to record low rainfall in
the region, Barnett considers the project in terms of it’s potential pathways to mal-adaptation,
and reveals the following:
Potential increase in greenhouse emissions
Barnett, J. (May 20, 2011). The Limits to Adaptation and
Maladaptation [Adaptation Masterclass]. Retrieved from CAKE:
http://www.cakex.org/virtual-library/limits-adaptation-and-
maladaptation
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

6. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
Maladaptation
Potentially reduced incentives to adapt
Potentially reduced options for future adaptation
Barnett, J. (May 20, 2011). The Limits to Adaptation and
Maladaptation [Adaptation Masterclass]. Retrieved from CAKE:
http://www.cakex.org/virtual-library/limits-adaptation-and-
maladaptation
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

7. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
Links and Conflicts Between Mitigation and Adaptation
The level of climate-change impacts, is determined by both adaptation and mitigation efforts
(Smith et al., 2001). However, only recently have policy-makers expressed an interest in exploring
inter-relationships between adaptation and mitigation. Recognising the dual need for adaptation
and mitigation, as well as the need to explore trade-offs and synergies between the two
responses, we are faced with an array of questions:
• How much adaptation and mitigation would be optimal, when, and in which combination?
• Who would decide, and based on what criteria?
• Are adaptation and mitigation substitutes or are they complementary to one another?
• When and where is it best to invest in adaptation, and when and where in mitigation?
• What is the potential for creating synergies between the two responses?
• How do their costs and effectiveness vary over time?
• How do the two responses affect, and how are they affected by, development pathways?
These questions led the IPCC to include a chapter on the inter-relationships between adaptation and
mitigation in its Fourth Assessment Report (AR4).
http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/ch18s18-1-1.html
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

8. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
Climate Change 2007: Working Group II: Impacts,
Adaptation and Vulnerability
A schematic overview of inter-relationships between
adaptation, mitigation and impacts
based on Holdridge’s life-zone classification scheme (Holdridge,
1947, 1967; M.L. Parry, personal communication)
http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/ch18s18-1-1.html
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

9. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
Links and Conflicts Between Mitigation and Adaptation
Although the research on
adaptation and mitigation has been
rather unconnected to date, it is
clear that both the responses are
equally important and can help
reduce the risks of climate change
to natural and human systems.
For example, mitigation will have global
benefits, whereas adaptation benefits
are from local to regional in scale.
However, adaptation benefits can be
immediately visible as compared to
mitigation, where the effects may not be
noticeable until around the middle of
the 21st century.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

10. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
Links and Conflicts Between Mitigation and Adaptation
Adaptation alone cannot eliminate climate-related
risks completely.
Even with all the possible protective measures, climate
change will impose additional economic, social, and
ecological costs.
In addition to adaptation measures taken privately and
publicly, global communities should cooperate with
mitigating greenhouse gases through an efficient and
effective policy tool.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

11. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
Avoiding Maladaptation
To avoid maladaptation both climatic and socio-
economic factors of vulnerabilities have to be
considered when developing policy responses.
When planning adaptation measures, consider if it
may lead to one of the following
-An increase in greenhouse-gas emissions
-An increased pressure on biodiversity
-An increase in other climate related vulnerabilities
If so, reconsider the measure.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

12. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
Linkages between adaptation and mitigation, in the context of
sustainable development
Example Mal-adaptations
Source: Cohen, S. and Waddell, M., 2009. Climate Change in the 21st Century:
McGill Queens University Press, Montreal.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

13. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
Interconnection between climate change and biodiversity
Climate change affects biodiversity and…
Changes in biodiversity affects climate change
• Conserving and sustainably managing biodiversity
is critical to addressing climate change
• Adaptation strategies that reduce the resilience of
biodiversity to climate change are maladaptations.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

14. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
No-regret and co-benefit measures
No-regret measures:-Adaptation measures that can
be justified under all plausible future scenarios.
• Adaptation measures that produce other benefits.
• Adaptation measures that are flexible
Example:
Measures that address both climate change and
biodiversity loss and ecosystem service degradation
in an integrated manner and achieve mutually
supportive outcomes.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

15. Process Stage 4
Evaluating Adaptation: Avoiding Maladaptation
Final key points
• To avoid maladaptation both climatic and socio-
economic factors of vulnerabilities have to be
considered when developing policy responses.
• When planning adaptation measures, consider if it
may lead to one of the following
-An increase in greenhouse-gas emissions
-An increased pressure on biodiversity
-An increase in other climate related vulnerabilities
• If so, reconsider the measure.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource