Civic Engagement in Adaptation to Climate Change

Despite a growing concern about the impact of climate change on local communities, there has been a heavy emphasis on mitigation and adaptation efforts at the global and national levels of government. Support for local efforts to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change have only recently been studied and highlighted. The Capstone team worked with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) to assess and expand knowledge on local level reactions to climate change in various countries. The team reviewed three cases from Jamaica, India, and Mozambique involving local action by civil society organizations to increase community preparedness and to cope with the consequences of climate change. The cases give examples of the type of support required from NGOs and governments to enhance the capacity of communities to prepare for major catastrophic events and to adapt to climate change.