Between tinkering and transformation: A contemporary appraisal of climate change adaptation research on the world's islands
Islands are at the center of discourses on climate change. Yet despite extensive work on diverse island systems in a changing climate, we still lack an understanding of climate change-related responses amongst islands and what shifting from what might be called “tinkering” (perhaps heat warnings) to...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Climate |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2022.1072231/full |
| _version_ | 1797955279796568064 |
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| author | Jan Petzold Elphin T. Joe Ilan Kelman Ilan Kelman Alexandre K. Magnan Charlotta Mirbach Charlotta Mirbach Gabriela Nagle Alverio Patrick D. Nunn Beate M. W. Ratter Beate M. W. Ratter The Global Adaptation Mapping Initiative Team |
| author_facet | Jan Petzold Elphin T. Joe Ilan Kelman Ilan Kelman Alexandre K. Magnan Charlotta Mirbach Charlotta Mirbach Gabriela Nagle Alverio Patrick D. Nunn Beate M. W. Ratter Beate M. W. Ratter The Global Adaptation Mapping Initiative Team |
| author_sort | Jan Petzold |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Islands are at the center of discourses on climate change. Yet despite extensive work on diverse island systems in a changing climate, we still lack an understanding of climate change-related responses amongst islands and what shifting from what might be called “tinkering” (perhaps heat warnings) to “transformational” adaptation (perhaps relocation) means for these vastly different landmasses which are often grouped together by default. Through a systematic review of the climate change adaptation scientific literature, this paper critically reflects on how considering islands as a homogenous ensemble and the use of buzzwords such as “transformational adaptation” may be problematic for diverse island realities under climate change. Our findings show that the adaptation evidence base actually provides literature on contrasting island types and cultural and political contexts, including Small Island Developing States as well as other island territories. This study finds research gaps with respect to regions (e.g., South America, Africa, and Mediterranean) and that there is overall both little evidence of and a lack of context-specific definitions of transformational adaptation in island contexts. The adaptation literature does not yet fully reflect the experiences or needs of islands regarding transitions and transformations throughout history. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:30:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-53d209a77383498787952533104cb921 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-9553 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:30:34Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Climate |
| spelling | doaj.art-53d209a77383498787952533104cb9212023-01-12T06:35:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Climate2624-95532023-01-01410.3389/fclim.2022.10722311072231Between tinkering and transformation: A contemporary appraisal of climate change adaptation research on the world's islandsJan Petzold0Elphin T. Joe1Ilan Kelman2Ilan Kelman3Alexandre K. Magnan4Charlotta Mirbach5Charlotta Mirbach6Gabriela Nagle Alverio7Patrick D. Nunn8Beate M. W. Ratter9Beate M. W. Ratter10The Global Adaptation Mapping Initiative TeamDepartment of Geography, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, GermanyDepartment of Civil Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United StatesInstitute for Risk and Disaster Reduction and Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, United KingdomUniversity of Agder, Kristiansand, NorwayInstitute for Sustainable Development and International Relations, Sciences Po, Paris, FranceDepartment of Geography, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, GermanyCenter for Earth System Research and Sustainability, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, GermanySanford School of Public Policy, Nicholas School of the Environment, School of Law, Duke University, Durham, NC, United StatesSchool of Law and Society, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, AustraliaInstitute of Geography, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany0Institute of Coastal Systems Analysis and Modeling, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Geesthacht, GermanyIslands are at the center of discourses on climate change. Yet despite extensive work on diverse island systems in a changing climate, we still lack an understanding of climate change-related responses amongst islands and what shifting from what might be called “tinkering” (perhaps heat warnings) to “transformational” adaptation (perhaps relocation) means for these vastly different landmasses which are often grouped together by default. Through a systematic review of the climate change adaptation scientific literature, this paper critically reflects on how considering islands as a homogenous ensemble and the use of buzzwords such as “transformational adaptation” may be problematic for diverse island realities under climate change. Our findings show that the adaptation evidence base actually provides literature on contrasting island types and cultural and political contexts, including Small Island Developing States as well as other island territories. This study finds research gaps with respect to regions (e.g., South America, Africa, and Mediterranean) and that there is overall both little evidence of and a lack of context-specific definitions of transformational adaptation in island contexts. The adaptation literature does not yet fully reflect the experiences or needs of islands regarding transitions and transformations throughout history.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2022.1072231/fullglobal warmingsmall island developing statessubnational island jurisdictionstransformational adaptationevidence synthesis |
| spellingShingle | Jan Petzold Elphin T. Joe Ilan Kelman Ilan Kelman Alexandre K. Magnan Charlotta Mirbach Charlotta Mirbach Gabriela Nagle Alverio Patrick D. Nunn Beate M. W. Ratter Beate M. W. Ratter The Global Adaptation Mapping Initiative Team Between tinkering and transformation: A contemporary appraisal of climate change adaptation research on the world's islands Frontiers in Climate global warming small island developing states subnational island jurisdictions transformational adaptation evidence synthesis |
| title | Between tinkering and transformation: A contemporary appraisal of climate change adaptation research on the world's islands |
| title_full | Between tinkering and transformation: A contemporary appraisal of climate change adaptation research on the world's islands |
| title_fullStr | Between tinkering and transformation: A contemporary appraisal of climate change adaptation research on the world's islands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Between tinkering and transformation: A contemporary appraisal of climate change adaptation research on the world's islands |
| title_short | Between tinkering and transformation: A contemporary appraisal of climate change adaptation research on the world's islands |
| title_sort | between tinkering and transformation a contemporary appraisal of climate change adaptation research on the world s islands |
| topic | global warming small island developing states subnational island jurisdictions transformational adaptation evidence synthesis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2022.1072231/full |
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