Adaptive capacity relates to the capacity ofsystems, institutions, humans and other organisms to adjust to potential damage, to take advantage of opportunities, or to respond to consequences.[1] In the context ofecosystems, adaptive capacity is the ability to maintain, recover, or adapt performance and function as climate conditions change.Species' adaptive capacity is generally characterized byphenotypic plasticity,dispersalability, andgenetic diversity,[2] which are foundational to the species' ability to acclimate in situ or track suitable climate across the landscape.[3] In the context of coupled socio-ecological social systems, adaptive capacity is commonly associated with the following characteristics: Firstly, the ability ofinstitutions andnetworks tolearn, and storeknowledge and experience. Secondly, thecreative flexibility indecision making,transitioning andproblem solving. And thirdly, the existence ofpower structures that are responsive and consider theneeds of allstakeholders.
In the context ofclimate change adaptation, adaptive capacity depends on the inter-relationship of social, political, economic, technological and institutional factors operating at a variety of scales.[4] Some of these are generic, and others are exposure-specific.
Building adaptive capacity is particular important in the context of climate change, where it refers to a latent capacity - in terms of resources and assets - from which adaptations can be made as required depending on future circumstances. Since future climate is likely to be different from the present climate, developing adaptive capacity is a prerequisite for theadaptation that can reduce the potential negative effects of exposure to climate change. In climate change, adaptive capacity, along with hazard, exposure and vulnerability, is a key component that contributes to risk, or the potential for harm or impact.[6]
Adaptive capacity can be enhanced in a number of different ways. A report by theOverseas Development Institute introduces the local adaptive capacity framework (LAC), featuring five core characteristics of adaptive capacity.[7] These include:
Asset base: the availability of a diverse range of key livelihood assets that allow households or communities to respond to evolving circumstances
Institutions and entitlements: the existence of an appropriate and evolving institutional environment that allows for access and entitlement to key assets and capitals
Knowledge and information: the ability households and communities have to generate, receive, assess and disseminate knowledge and information in support of appropriate adaptation options
Innovation: the system creates an enabling environment to foster innovation, experimentation and the ability to explore niche solutions in order to take advantage of new opportunities
Flexible forward-looking decision-making and governance: the system is able to anticipate, incorporate and respond to changes with regards to its governance structures and future planning.[8]
Many development interventions - such associal protection programmes and efforts to promotesocial safety nets - can play important roles in promoting aspects of adaptive capacity.
Relationship between adaptive capacity, states and strategies
Adaptive capacity is associated withr and K selection strategies in ecology and with a movement from explosivepositive feedback to sustainablenegative feedback loops in social systems and technologies.[9][10]The Resilience Alliance shows how thelogistic curve of the r phase positive feedback, becoming replaced by the K negative feedback strategy is an important part of adaptive capacity.[11] The r strategy is associated with situations of low complexity, high resilience, and growing potential. K strategies are associated with situations of high complexity, high potential and high resilience, but if the perturbations exceed certain limits, adaptive capacity may be exceeded and the system collapses into another so-called Omega state, of low potential, low complexity and low resilience.[12]
Adaptive capacity in the context of climate change covers human, natural, or managed systems. It looks at how they respond to both climatevariability and extremes. It covers the ability of a system to adjust to climate change to moderate potential damages, to take advantage of opportunities, or to cope with consequences.[13] Adaptive capacity is the ability to reduce the likelihood of negative impacts of climate-related hazards.[14] It does this through the ability to design and implement effective adaptation strategies, or to react to evolving hazards and stresses.
An enabler, also known as a promoter or driver, represents a set of factors and conditions which can help to build and develop resilience.[15] In a 2001IPCC report focusing on impacts,adaptation, andvulnerability, six factors were identified as promoters of adaptive capacity. These characteristics contribute to the development and strengthening of adaptive capacity.[16] For instance, a stable and prosperous economy is crucial, as it enables better management of the costs associated with adaptation.[16] Generally, developed and wealthier nations are more prepared to face the impacts ofclimate change.[17] Access to technology at various levels (local, regional, and national) and in all sectors is essential for staying informed about resource distribution,land use, andextraction practices.[16] Additionally, clearly delineating roles and responsibilities for executing adaptation strategies is important at national, regional, and local levels. Discussion forums and consultations are established to disseminateclimate information, ensuring clear communication and collaboration.[16] Social institutions aim to distribute resources equitably, recognizing that power imbalances can hinder adaptive capacity.[16] It's vital to protect existing systems with high adaptive capacity, such as traditional societies, from potential compromises resulting from modern development trajectories.
A barrier is an obstacle surmounted through collective efforts, creative management, mindset shifts, and adjustments in resource distribution,land uses, andinstitutions.[18] Barriers are often confused with limits however, the distinguishing feature between the two is that limits cannot be overcome.[19] Barriers are crucial to consider when assessing the level of adaptive capacity within a group, community, and organization, as they block or hinder adaptation actions.[20] Various types of barriers including historical, political, financial, and natural can be identified. They can be either internal or external and can block or hinder the implementation of an adaptation action and consequently lower adaptive capacity.[20] An external barrier is a factor that falls outside an organization/community/individual's control. For example, a common external barrier is the absence of land available for individuals or enterprises to relocate while faced with a major climatic event such asflooding orwildfires.[21] An internal barrier is typically affected by an organization/community/individual beliefs and perceptions concerningclimate change. For example, a common internal barrier is people's reluctance to relocate from flood-prone regions (owing to their livelihood dependence), the costs of land or property, or insufficient awareness regarding the potentialflooding risks amid projected climate alterations.[21]
Common organizational barriers include a disconnect between government recommendations/policies and concrete actions made by actors and organizations.[22][23] Scholars point to other significant barriers that may impede adaptation action, like the lack of resources, financial incentives for long-term planning, and a lack of knowledge related toclimate change adaptation.[24] Another common barrier isskepticism regarding the severity and urgency ofclimate impacts. Local knowledge of technical, climate-adapted solutions is instrumental fororganizational adaptation, but opportunities to harness this knowledge can be missed due to skeptical beliefs.[24]
The evolutionary emergence of living systems likely included early replication of anRNA molecule, as described in the articleRNA world. Such an emerging RNA molecule may have been capable of the three mechanisms of Darwinian selection:heritability, variation of type, and differential reproductive output. The fitness of such an RNA replicator (its per capita rate of increase) likely would have been a function of its intrinsic adaptive capacities determined by itsnucleotide sequence, and the availability of resources.[25][26] The three primary adaptive capacities may have been: (1) replication with moderate fidelity, giving rise to heritability while allowing variation of type, (2) resistance to decay, and (3) acquisition of, and ability to process, resources.[25][26] These adaptive capacities would have functioned by means of the folded configurations of the RNA replicators determined by their nucleotide sequences.
^Thurman, Lindsey L; Stein, Bruce A; Beever, Erik A; Foden, Wendy; Geange, Sonya R; Green, Nancy; Gross, John E; Lawrence, David J; LeDee, Olivia; Olden, Julian D; Thompson, Laura M; Young, Bruce E (2020). "Persist in place or shift in space? Evaluating the adaptive capacity of species to climate change".Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.18 (9):520–528.Bibcode:2020FrEE...18..520T.doi:10.1002/fee.2253.hdl:1885/230952.
^Taylor, Douglas R.; Aarssen, Lonnie W.; Loehle, Craig (1990). "On the Relationship between r/K Selection and Environmental Carrying Capacity: A New Habitat Templet for Plant Life History Strategies".Oikos.58 (2):239–250.Bibcode:1990Oikos..58..239T.doi:10.2307/3545432.ISSN0030-1299.JSTOR3545432.
^Brooks, N and Adger, WN (2005)Assessing and enhancing adaptive capacity. In: Adaptation Policy Frameworks for Climate Change: Developing Strategies, Policies and Measures. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 165–181.
^Barr, Stephanie L.; Lemieux, Christopher J. (2021-09-21). "Assessing organizational readiness to adapt to climate change in a regional protected areas context: lessons learned from Canada".Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change.26 (8): 34.Bibcode:2021MASGC..26...34B.doi:10.1007/s11027-021-09972-3.ISSN1573-1596.
