How can we incorporate local knowledge into climate planning and policy?

January 9, 2020
This reflection is offered by Ibrahim Jarso, Rangelands Specialist at MercyCorps, Hausner Wendo, Climate Information & Resilience Planning Officer at the Adaptation Consortium and Sam Greene, Researcher on Climate Change at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). Isiolo County in northern Kenya’s arid and semi-arid region is typical of many dryland landscapes. Pastoralists face increasing challenges to ensure
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#PowerShifts Resources: Lessons from the Global South for Surviving the Climate Crisis

September 27, 2019
Since the start of the #ClimateStrike past Friday September 20th, I have been moved by the avalanche of actions across the world to foreground the climate crisis, its devastating effects (present and future) and the demand for collective solutions. It is a tremendous glimpse of hope that so many voices have come together to call for a world where people’s existence, and their right to a dignified life, is valued above corporate
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Research into Use: how can Climate Change Researchers have more Impact?

July 26, 2017
Following on the recent kerfuffle about ‘research impact’ (see original and follow up posts), I spent some time chatting to climate researchers in Cape Town about ‘research into use’ (RiU, basically the same thing). The researchers are part of ASSAR, a consortium (of which Oxfam is a member) working across Africa and India with a big focus (30% of its
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A big win for climate change campaigners in the Philippines – how did they do it?

November 11, 2015
Some great news from the Philippines. The Philippines Survival Fund, which I blogged about a couple of years ago, is finally open for business – local governments and community organizations will now be apply to apply for funds up to 1 billion pesos (US$21m) a year, for projects that help communities adapt to climate change. The first lesson is the
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Are ‘serious games’ a better way to prepare for climate change than scenario planning?

April 2, 2014
Had a nice little lightbulb moment last week, when I spoke at a meeting to launch yet another ODI paper. This one, ‘Planning for an Uncertain Future’ summarized some work by ACCRA (the Africa Climate Change Resilience Alliance), of which Oxfam is a member. The lightbulb in question was making a connection between two issues discussed in previous blog posts:
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Why does climate change adaptation in Africa ignore politics? Great broadside from Matthew Lockwood.

October 24, 2013
My friend Matthew Lockwood has a habit of asking really big, sensible questions about politics that change the way you see the world. He was so fed up with what he saw as the lazy, apolitical thinking behind aid in general and Make Poverty History in particular, that he abandoned the development scene, writing The State They’re In: An Agenda
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How do we work out the returns to campaigning? Nice example from the Philippines

December 5, 2012
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The IPCC Special Report on Disasters and Adaptation: more than just climate science

May 20, 2012
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Playing games with the climate – a great way to explore difficult choices in complex systems

July 19, 2011
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