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What is adaptation to climate change? Epistemic ambiguity in the climate finance system

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  • Nina Hall

    (Hertie School of Governance)

Abstract

Over the past decade developed states have committed significant public financing for climate change adaptation. Much of this public financing flows through international development organizations. States have delegated the implementation and monitoring of adaptation to existing international organizations such as the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Scholars have noted that states delegate discretion to specialized organizations to perform a task on their behalf, but have not explored how uncertainties about the nature of the task affect delegation. This article addresses this gap by distinguishing the concept of epistemic ambiguity (when states are uncertain about the exact nature of a task) from strategic ambiguity (when states do not reach consensus over a task due to political differences) in order to address the question: how have states and international organizations defined and implemented adaptation activities? The question is answered through case studies of: (1) adaptation projects administered by the United Nations Development Programme and the International Organization for Migration in Kenya; and (2) states’ and international organizations’ attempts to develop methodologies for reporting adaptation financing. The case studies are based on: primary documents published by states and international organizations, secondary literature on climate finance, and interviews with adaptation experts. This article argues that states have not precisely defined adaptation, and that this is substantially due to epistemic ambiguity. It then identifies two consequences of epistemic ambiguity: a proliferation of activities labelled as adaptation, and difficulties tracking and monitoring adaptation assistance.

Suggested Citation

  • Nina Hall, 2017. "What is adaptation to climate change? Epistemic ambiguity in the climate finance system," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 37-53, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:ieaple:v:17:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s10784-016-9345-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s10784-016-9345-6
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    1. Michaelowa, Axel & Michaelowa, Katharina, 2011. "Coding Error or Statistical Embellishment? The Political Economy of Reporting Climate Aid," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(11), pages 2010-2020.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Ece Kural & Lisa Maria Dellmuth & Maria-Therese Gustafsson, 2021. "International organizations and climate change adaptation: A new dataset for the social scientific study of adaptation, 1990–2017," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(9), pages 1-18, September.
    3. Yusri, I.M. & Abdul Majeed, A.P.P. & Mamat, R. & Ghazali, M.F. & Awad, Omar I. & Azmi, W.H., 2018. "A review on the application of response surface method and artificial neural network in engine performance and exhaust emissions characteristics in alternative fuel," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 665-686.
    4. Fraschini, Filippo & Hunt, Alistair & Zoboli, Roberto, 2022. "Decision tools for adaptation to climate change: Portfolio analysis of tea plantation investments in Rwanda," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    5. Aghilasse Kashi & Mohamed Eskandar Shah, 2023. "Bibliometric Review on Sustainable Finance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-30, April.
    6. Kimberley Anh Thomas, 2023. "Compelled to Compete: Rendering Climate Change Vulnerability Investable," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 54(2), pages 223-250, March.
    7. Kotykova, Olena & Babych, Mykola & Iagodzinska, Anna & Tabatskova, Anna, 2022. "Global initiatives on implementation of zero hunger policy," Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, vol. 8(2), June.
    8. Michel Damian & Luigi De Paoli, 2017. "Climate change: Back to development," ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2017(3), pages 5-24.
    9. Jonathan Pickering & Carola Betzold & Jakob Skovgaard, 2017. "Special issue: managing fragmentation and complexity in the emerging system of international climate finance," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 1-16, February.
    10. Peterson, Lauri & Skovgaard, Jakob, 2019. "Bureaucratic politics and the allocation of climate finance," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 72-97.
    11. Joshua Long, 2021. "Crisis Capitalism and Climate Finance: The Framing, Monetizing, and Orchestration of Resilience-Amidst-Crisis," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(2), pages 51-63.
    12. Rishi Basak & Edwin van der Werf, 2019. "Accountability mechanisms in international climate change financing," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 297-313, June.
    13. Marielle Papin, 2019. "Transnational municipal networks: Harbingers of innovation for global adaptation governance?," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 467-483, October.
    14. Michel Damian & Luigi de Paoli, 2018. "Climate change: Back to development," Post-Print hal-01870974, HAL.
    15. Kuhl, Laura & Van Maanen, Kyla & Scyphers, Steven, 2020. "An analysis of UNFCCC-financed coastal adaptation projects: Assessing patterns of project design and contributions to adaptive capacity," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).

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