Climate Adaptation 2016 Why reinvent the wheel? Engaging for climate change adaptation through existing networks (3186)
Many strategies for engaging communities are focused on which tools to use and how to engage the hard to reach. This type of emphasis is not unique to engaging on climate change adaptation. However, communities are not made up of unengaged individuals. Within communities, there exists a multitude of social, economic and environmental groups (e.g. school P&Cs, faith-based groups, sporting clubs, chambers of commerce and bushcare groups). Most people within a region are engaged in some way with an existing network. We propose that an effective approach to engaging on climate change adaptation may be to focus on existing networks through a 6-step cycle, which comprises: (i) mapping existing networks; (ii) identifying key champions within the networks; (iii) supporting engagement by key champions, including co-designing engagement strategies that consider the motivations, preferences and capacities of the various network participants; (iv) supporting the design, implementation and learning from adaptation initiatives, e.g. money, information and personnel; (v) monitoring and evaluating effectiveness; and (vi) sharing innovations and lessons. However, there are a number of caveats to this approach and, ideally, it should be situated within a broader social learning frame.
