Mapping Global Responses to Climate Change by Categorising Adaptation Tools through Stated Objectives and Specificity

This paper maps global responses to the imminent climate change catastrophe by categorising climate adaptation tools according to their stated objectives and specificity. Categorisation is useful in that it exposes popular discourse on climate adaptation, clarifies the developmental, climate-proofing or impact focus of development cooperation organisations towards climate adaptation, and draws contradistinctions between climate adaptation approaches in developed and developing countries. Systematic review of scientific and grey literature yielded peer-reviewed journal articles and an inventory of over one-hundred and thirty-two (132) climate adaptation tools. Secondary data analysis method was used to develop a continuum/framework to categorise fifty (50) selected climate adaptation tools according to their stated objectives and specificity. Findings reveal that climate adaptation initiatives can occur on a wide scale ranging from purely developmental activities to actions that directly confronts the impacts of climate change. Most climate adaptation initiatives are carried out using climate-proofing tools. Climate-proofing traditional socio-economic development might undermine genuine climate adaptation efforts. Also, there is an acute shortage of information provision tools that furnishes the user with localised information about climate change. This might have negative implications for rural and localised development planning. In conclusion, this categorisation will provide useful recommendations for the development and implementation of future climate adaptation tools in a sub-Saharan African context.