The examination of multi-stakeholder approaches to local scale adaptation to climate change strategies in Samoa

Abstract

The scenarios of increased climatic variability and the associated environmental change, overlying a set of complex and shifting set of socio-political and economic conditions, have been argued to exacerbate the vulnerability of small island developing states (SIDS). These projections are accompanied by an increased sense of urgency and political commitment to implement adaptive pathways to enable nation states to develop capacity to respond to climatic variability. Despite the recent attention to the development of local scale adaptation strategies there has been little critical reflection on institutional practices and processes that operate at other scales and influence community level outcomes. Set against a backdrop of international funding regimes, intermediaries, national governance and local community, this research uses a case study of community based adaptation (CBA) projects in the small island state of Samoa to explore the ways in which stakeholders shape the implementation of adaptation of local projects. Through document analysis and in-depth interviews this research provides insight into the direction and goals of externally funded local scale adaptation and the ways in which participatory mechanisms are used to produce certain outcomes. This research highlights the importance of contextually appropriate communication, knowledge and learning in increasing local adaptive capacity. This research contributes to an emerging body of literature that critically explores the overlap between development and adaptation agendas and seeks to improve insight into the multiple ways that stakeholders interact to produce local scale outcomes.