Institutional Climate Vulnerability This module outlines how institutional capacity affects vulnerability to climate change and will cover how to identify and address weaknesses in institutional capacity in order to reduce vulnerability.

1. Online Training Resource: Climate Adaptation
Analysing Climate Vulnerability

2. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Institutional
Institutional Climate Vulnerability
This module outlines how institutional capacity affects vulnerability to climate change and will cover how
to identify and address weaknesses in institutional capacity in order to reduce vulnerability.
Climate Adaptation
Deborah Davies, Carlo Aall, Eli Heiberg, 2012
Online Training Resource

3. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Institutional
How is institutional climate vulnerability an issue?
Local institutions shape how residents responded to environmental challenges. Because adaptation
to climate change is local, it is critically important to understand better the role of local institutions in
shaping adaptation and improving capacities of the most vulnerable social groups.
A principal barrier to adaptation to climate change lies in organisations where regulations and
standards do not reflect climate change, where ‘best practice of adaptation’ examples are lacking
and, the support for the senior management is limited (Pelling et al, 2008).
Pelling M, High C, Dearing J, Smith D, 2008, “Shadow spaces for social learning: A relational understanding of
adaptive capacity to climate change within organizations. Environment and planning A, 40(4) 867-84
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

4. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Institutional
Institutional Climate Vulnerability
What is an Institution?
• Organisational resources
– Routines and procedures
• Human resources
– Capacity and competence
• Economic resources
– Amount of money available
• Relational resources
– Networks
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

5. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Institutional
The Concept of Institutional Climate Vulnerability
The ability to cope with change and carry out
necessary adaptation measures.
• A concept initially developed for assessing the
ability of developing countries to make use of
foreign aid.
• The concept has gained a widespread use in the
context of climate change adaptation; also in rich
developed countries.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

6. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Institutional
How to Assess Institutional Climate Vulnerability
Decide which institutional aspects are believed to be of
local relevance in relation to working with climate
change adaptation.
• Break down national statistics.
• Collect relevant local statistics.
• Conduct a local questionnaire/investigation.
• Conduct qualitative interviews.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

7. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Institutional
How to Assess Institutional Climate Vulnerability
Final Key Points
• It is crucial not to underestimate the importance of
institutional climate vulnerability.
• Local institutions play a pivotal role in shaping
adaptation and improving local capacity.
• Increasing institutional capacity could be an essential
preparation before adaptation measures can be
implemented.
• It is necessary to evaluate regularly and systematically
whether the identified capacities are actually the right
ones to leverage the changes needed to deal with
climate change.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource