Between 2012 and 2015, Oxfam led the implementation of four significant community based climate change adaptation programs in Vanuatu, the Philippines, Timor Leste and Vietnam. Funded through the Australian Aid program, these programs worked with communities experiencing some of the most extreme impacts of climate change, but have limited resources to respond. Developed in their specific cultural context, each program had a similar structure – they worked with women, men and young people to identify climate impacts, raise awareness of the issues and to support communities to develop their own action plans for managing climate change risks while meeting broader development outcomes. Importantly the programs sought to identify those most vulnerable to climate change – women, young people, people living with disabilities – ensuring their needs and capacities were central. This ensured each program developed in a unique way.

These programs achieved positive adaptation outcomes. Through local level planning and technical support, communities have been able to grown more food, access more reliable water supplies and be better prepared for climate related disasters. However just as important is the empowerment of communities, women in particular, increasing their engagement in decision-making that impacts them and access the resources they need. Some of the most effective actions were those generated by communities, such as the reinstatement of traditional laws to protect the environment, the establishment of climate field schools or talkback radio with government staff. These programs demonstrated that bottom up decision making and community empowerment are critical factors in building adaptive capacity.