Local knowledge and adaptation to climate change in natural resource-based societies of the Asia-Pacific

This paper reviewed 42 studies of how local knowledge contributes to adaptation to climate and climate change in the Asia-Pacific Region. Most studies focused on traditional ecological or indigenous knowledge. Three simple questions were addressed: (1) How are changes in climate recognized? (2) What...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Louis Lebel
Format: Journal
Published: 2018
Online Access:https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=84883746316&origin=inward
http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/jspui/handle/6653943832/47608
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Institution: Chiang Mai University
id th-cmuir.6653943832-47608
record_format dspace
spelling th-cmuir.6653943832-476082018-04-25T08:41:54Z Local knowledge and adaptation to climate change in natural resource-based societies of the Asia-Pacific Louis Lebel This paper reviewed 42 studies of how local knowledge contributes to adaptation to climate and climate change in the Asia-Pacific Region. Most studies focused on traditional ecological or indigenous knowledge. Three simple questions were addressed: (1) How are changes in climate recognized? (2) What is known about how to adapt to changes in climate? (3) How do people learn about how to adapt? Awareness of change is an important element of local knowledge. Changes in climate are recognized at multiple time scales from observations that warn of imminent extreme weather through expectations for the next season to identification of multi-year historical trends. Observations are made of climate, its impact on physical resources, and bio-indicators. Local knowledge about how to adapt can be divided into four major classes: land and water management, physical infrastructure, livelihood strategies, and social institutions. Adaptation actions vary with time scale of interest from dealing with risks of disaster from extreme weather events, through slow onset changes such as seasonal droughts, to dealing with long-term multi-year shifts in climate. Local knowledge systems differ in the capacities and ways in which they support learning. Many are dynamic and draw on information from other places, whereas others are more conservative and tightly institutionalized. Past experience of events and ways of learning may be insufficient for dealing with a novel climate. Once the strengths and limitations of local knowledge (like those of science) are grasped the opportunities for meaningful hybridization of scientific and local knowledge for adaptation expand. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2018-04-25T08:41:54Z 2018-04-25T08:41:54Z 2013-10-01 Journal 13812386 2-s2.0-84883746316 10.1007/s11027-012-9407-1 https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=84883746316&origin=inward http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/jspui/handle/6653943832/47608
institution Chiang Mai University
building Chiang Mai University Library
country Thailand
collection CMU Intellectual Repository
description This paper reviewed 42 studies of how local knowledge contributes to adaptation to climate and climate change in the Asia-Pacific Region. Most studies focused on traditional ecological or indigenous knowledge. Three simple questions were addressed: (1) How are changes in climate recognized? (2) What is known about how to adapt to changes in climate? (3) How do people learn about how to adapt? Awareness of change is an important element of local knowledge. Changes in climate are recognized at multiple time scales from observations that warn of imminent extreme weather through expectations for the next season to identification of multi-year historical trends. Observations are made of climate, its impact on physical resources, and bio-indicators. Local knowledge about how to adapt can be divided into four major classes: land and water management, physical infrastructure, livelihood strategies, and social institutions. Adaptation actions vary with time scale of interest from dealing with risks of disaster from extreme weather events, through slow onset changes such as seasonal droughts, to dealing with long-term multi-year shifts in climate. Local knowledge systems differ in the capacities and ways in which they support learning. Many are dynamic and draw on information from other places, whereas others are more conservative and tightly institutionalized. Past experience of events and ways of learning may be insufficient for dealing with a novel climate. Once the strengths and limitations of local knowledge (like those of science) are grasped the opportunities for meaningful hybridization of scientific and local knowledge for adaptation expand. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
format Journal
author Louis Lebel
spellingShingle Louis Lebel
Local knowledge and adaptation to climate change in natural resource-based societies of the Asia-Pacific
author_facet Louis Lebel
author_sort Louis Lebel
title Local knowledge and adaptation to climate change in natural resource-based societies of the Asia-Pacific
title_short Local knowledge and adaptation to climate change in natural resource-based societies of the Asia-Pacific
title_full Local knowledge and adaptation to climate change in natural resource-based societies of the Asia-Pacific
title_fullStr Local knowledge and adaptation to climate change in natural resource-based societies of the Asia-Pacific
title_full_unstemmed Local knowledge and adaptation to climate change in natural resource-based societies of the Asia-Pacific
title_sort local knowledge and adaptation to climate change in natural resource-based societies of the asia-pacific
publishDate 2018
url https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=84883746316&origin=inward
http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/jspui/handle/6653943832/47608
_version_ 1681423093154709504