2.1 Community involvement

Community involvement has long been identified as a necessary component of the adaptation planning process. Yet, in practice, its often a tokenistic exercise, weakening trust and collective action, especially when local knowledge, priorities or lived experiences are not meaningfully reflected in adaptation decisions [6]. Bolstering community involvement via a transition towards a participatory approach – in which community residents are active decision-makers and meaningfully engaged in all phases of the adaptation planning process – may present a key avenue for increasing implementation [7].

Scholars suggest that a participatory approach can catalyze action by engendering a collective will to pursue adaptation [8]. Moreover, when community support for an issue is strong, it translates into forceful political pressure, which in turn shapes policy agendas and drives decision-makers to act. Research demonstrates that a participatory approach heightens public awareness of climate issues, and increases acceptance, support, and advocacy for action [7,9]. It also ensures that adaptation strategies are tailored to the unique needs, strengths, and context of the community, reflecting the priorities of the residents [9]. Further, participation reduces the likelihood of public resistance, which can legitimize government decisions [9,10]. Importantly, scholars warn against the uncritical adoption of a participatory approach. In order to avoid maladaptive outcomes and unintended consequences, such as the perpetuation of uneven power dynamics or undermining of trust, participatory approaches must be carefully implemented. Attention must be paid to factors such as sustained engagement, relationship-building, and continuous monitoring and evaluation of progress [11].

2.2 Mainstreaming

Mainstreaming, the process of integrating adaptation considerations across government decision-making, has been identified by scholars as a means to overcome the often siloed or standalone nature of adaptation planning [2]. Mainstreaming ensures that adaptation is normalized and understood as central to local governance, which encourages local leaders to prioritize the issue and allocate the necessary resources, thus increasing the likelihood of implementation in practice [3]. It’s also noted to increase policy coherence, create opportunities for synergies, reduce contradictory policies, and result in resource efficiency [12]. Further, some researchers suggest that legislating mainstreaming may be a particularly useful strategy for increasing implementation, as it assigns clear responsibility and facilitates accountability, encourages local decision-makers to address long-term issues, and reduces the risk that climate policy will be dismantled by changing local leadership [2]. While mainstreaming appears to hold promise for overcoming implementation barriers, researchers emphasize that robust institutions alone are not sufficient for adaptation action. Mainstreaming must be accompanied by factors such as political commitment and adequate resourcing in order to be effective [13].

2.3 Intergovernmental support

Finally, we highlight the importance of strengthening intergovernmental support to accelerate implementation. Scholars emphasize that a lack of vertical and horizontal government interaction, and in particular, insufficient guidance and aid from higher levels of government, are often key contributing factors to implementation failure [14]. Indeed, while adaptation is primarily recognized as a local issue, local governments frequently lack the capacity to carry out adaptation on their own, and can be unwilling to act in the absence of leadership from higher-level government [5]. It’s therefore critical that responsibility for adaptation is shared across all levels. In particular, higher levels of government can accelerate adaptation implementation at the local level via the provision of financial incentives and funding streams, the creation of guiding policy documents and institutional support, and the supply of resources such as technical information and climate data [15]. Importantly, researchers also note that a strong mandate from higher levels of government can be a powerful driver of adaptation implementation, by increasing prioritization and political legitimacy [15].