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Barriers and drivers to adaptation to climate change—a field study of ten French local authorities

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  • Guillaume Simonet

    (Université de Toulouse Jean Jaurès)

  • Alexia Leseur

    (Institute for Climate Economics (I4CE))

Abstract

Local authorities are intensifying efforts to design climate policy that includes effective climate change adaptation. However, the translation of policy into effective actions that transform territories faces barriers, and is proving to be a true challenge. Through the findings of 2 years of field research (ABSTRACT-colurba project), based on the study of ten French local authorities, this paper discusses the main barriers that decision-makers are confronted with, and the drivers by which they may succeed or which could trigger more efficient actions at the local level. Once again, this study confirms that barriers are mainly reported at the resource, governance, and awareness levels. Thus, the reduction of subsidies from national government, the priority given to economic criteria and the lack of awareness of climate issues are among the main barriers. Potential and successful drivers are mainly reported at the organisational level. Indeed, the necessity to reorganise the way local public institutions are working to implement climate policy is highlighted as an important lever to overcome certain obstacles. We conclude that research on barriers and drivers to climate change adaptation is essential to better understand why efforts are so slow to take into consideration the obvious acceleration of the manifestations of climate change. But we also recommend focusing on the human factors involved into the decision-making processes, at the collective (organisational) as well as the individual (perception) level, to better relate the findings to stakeholders and to find ways to integrate them into action-research projects in order to accelerate an urgent transformation of urban systems into sustainable systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Guillaume Simonet & Alexia Leseur, 2019. "Barriers and drivers to adaptation to climate change—a field study of ten French local authorities," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 155(4), pages 621-637, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:155:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s10584-019-02484-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-019-02484-9
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    2. Maria Juschten & Florian Reinwald & Roswitha Weichselbaumer & Alexandra Jiricka-Pürrer, 2021. "Developing an Integrative Theoretical Framework for Climate Proofing Spatial Planning across Sectors, Policy Levels, and Planning Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-20, July.
    3. Gilles Desthieux & Florent Joerin, 2022. "Urban planning in Swiss cities has been slow to think about climate change: why and what to do?," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 12(4), pages 692-713, December.
    4. Sandra Fatorić & Robbert Biesbroek, 2020. "Adapting cultural heritage to climate change impacts in the Netherlands: barriers, interdependencies, and strategies for overcoming them," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 162(2), pages 301-320, September.
    5. Christopher Nathan & Keith Hyams, 2022. "Global policymakers and catastrophic risk," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 55(1), pages 3-21, March.
    6. Evan Mallen & Heather A. Joseph & Megan McLaughlin & Dorette Quintana English & Carmen Olmedo & Matt Roach & Carmen Tirdea & Jason Vargo & Matt Wolff & Emily York, 2022. "Overcoming Barriers to Successful Climate and Health Adaptation Practice: Notes from the Field," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-19, June.
    7. Lan Mu & Lan Fang & Yuhong Liu & Chencheng Wang, 2020. "Identifying Barriers and Enablers for Climate Change Adaptation of Farmers in Semi-Arid North-Western China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-21, September.

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