Participatory scenario development for climate change adaptation

There is a growing number of studies on the impacts of climate change and potential adaptation options.

However, these studies commonly fall short on integrating climate change impacts and adaptation options into development choices and priorities; they also tend to lack proper descriptions of the influences that different development options might have on adaptation and adaptive capacities. Scenario development methodologies provide a useful way of exploring future development choices and pathways and the impacts of climate change and adaptation options. At the same time, they indicate the forms of policy and/or investment support needed to facilitate effective adaptation and provide a means for policy makers and service providers to take into account local priorities and knowledge in their decision making. Based on our experiences, participatory scenario development provides an opportunity to integrate development priorities and plans with adaptation needs to address climate change and climate variability.Bizikova, L., T. Dickinson and L. Pintér (2009) ‘Participatory scenario development for translating impacts of climate change.' In (eds) Reid, H., M. Alam, R. Berger, T. Cannon, S. Huq and A. Milligan. Participatory Learning and Action 60: Community-based adaptation to climate change. International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED): London. This issue of PLA is free to download online here.