Climate Change Adaptation as a Social Process

Research on the impacts of climate change suggests that developed countries are not immune to the effects of a changing climate. The assumption that because of their high adaptive capacity, developed countries will adapt effectively is beginning to be dispelled by empirical evidence. While advancements in projections have facilitated a move from the study of impacts to concrete adaptation strategies, research that focuses on the social process of adaptation has been relatively neglected. Yet, when viewed as a social process, the psychological, social, and cultural aspects of adaptation are exposed, which brings into focus the effects that values and power dimensions have on actual adjustments and their outcomes for adaptation. This chapter demonstrates that some of the critical barriers to adaptation in developed countries arise from perceptions and values. It argues that these barriers are hindering adaptation now and will continue to do so unless the intricacies of the social processes underpinning adaptation are taken into explicit consideration in research and policy. Drawing on recent theoretical and empirical studies, the examples highlighted here show that narratives of immunity to the impacts of climate change in developed countries, confidence in technology, and perceived lack of immediacy about climate change impacts have resulted in an unwarranted complacency about adaptation. Effective adaptation strategies should be informed by a deeper understanding of the social process of adaptation and need to address a wide range of barriers.