Science-practice interactions for effective climate change adaptation

Adaptation to the effects of climate change is a major challenge, particularly for highly vulnerable low-income countries. As adaptation to climate change is first and foremost a context specific and local process, it is evident that successful adaptation processes require context specific knowledge and analysis. Research can take an important role in the provision of this knowledge and analysis. With research funds on climate change adaptation expected to increase considerably in the coming years, it is important to explore ways of spending this as effectively as possible, in particular through improving science-practice interactions for the benefit of effective adaptation in low-income countries.

Science-practice-interaction is of special importance for successful adaptation to climate change, for example to identify the relevance of a research question vis-a-vis knowledge needs and promising ways, means and methods to inform and implement adaptation. In addition, knowledge sharing is important not only between “science” and “practice” within one country but can also elicit benefit across country borders and between European and low-income-countries. In practice, however, scientists and practitioners often work solely within their own communities. Knowledge platforms for common use or workshops held together are a good start but are not sufficient. The potential of knowledge sharing between European and low-income countries is as yet underdeveloped. The European Network “Climate Impact and Response Coordination for a Larger Europe” (CIRCLE-2) and the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), therefore, addressed the important role of knowledge sharing between scientists and practitioners in the field of climate change adaptation by organizing an expert workshop.