Four roles

1. Reader of the first definition
2. Reader of the second definition
3. Reader of cascade impacts text
4. Scribe

When considering the different definitions keep in mind the following dimensions:

a) Severe weather events,

b) Slow onset events such as increasing food insecurity relating to climate induced food inflation,

c) Cascade impacts:

‘The impacts of increases in temperature, rainfall, sea levels and extreme events will cascade across all sectors of society. Our assets, communities and social and economic interactions will all be affected. As the effects of these changes become more frequent through flooding, coastal inundation and drought, we’ll have less time to recover and there will be cumulative consequences. In addition, as different sectors respond to the changes, there is potential for impacts to compound through the economy.’

Deep South Challenge – New Zealand: https://deepsouthchallenge.co.nz/research-project/climate-change-cascade-effect/  

1. IPCC AR6 Working Group II Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability.

The IPCC defines adaptation as:

“adjustments in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities”.

Based on the Key Findings of the AR6 Report on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability Concepts, approaches and examples of Transformational adaptation:

Incremental Adaptation:

Adaptation that maintains the essence and integrity of a system or process at a given scale. In some cases, incremental adaptation can accrue to result in transformational adaptation.

Transformational Adaptation:

Actions aiming at adapting to climate change resulting in significant changes in structure or function that go beyond adjusting existing practices. These can be adopted at a large scale, can lead to new strategies in a region or resource system, transform places and potentially shift locations deep and long-term societal changes that influence sustainable development (include values, worldviews).

Click to access FINAL_IPCCContribution_GGA_5thWorkshop_IPCC.pdf

2. Community Resilience To Climate Change: an evidence review (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2015).

Across the policy, practice and academic landscape there are different definitions of resilience of communities to climate change. These are used across different contexts resulting in a variety of actions. However, this concept can be summarised as: the ability of communities to reduce exposure to, prepare for, cope with, recover better from, adapt and transform as needed, to the direct and indirect consequences of climate change, here these consequences can be both short-term shocks and longer-term stresses.

There is a distinction to be made between proactive and reactive resilience, with the former emphasising adaptation and transformation to both shocks and stresses, and the latter focused on resistance and ‘bounce-back’ after a shock, with less focus on underlying stresses. The former suggests a need to change existing conditions, while the latter suggests a return to the status quo.

https://www.jrf.org.uk/community-resilience-to-climate-change-an-evidence-review