Project

CASTOR: WP 5 – Pathways design and appraisal

Previous pathway studies considered mainly incremental adaptation, while future visions may demand a shift to more radical transformative measures and associated pathways. Similarly, appraisals of pathways have largely focused on aspects of robustness and adaptability, and less on transformability. Developing a more integral process in cooperation with diverse stakeholders could address this gap.

Objective

The objective of this research is to build and test a framework for designing and appraising pathways towards climate-resilient land and water systems. Assessments of past and future pathways will be undertaken at sites where Lumbricus and KLIMAP partners have been operating. Insights from these assessments will inform discussions with stakeholders towards a high-quality climate-resilient living environment using climate resilient development pathways The pathways identified in the current research will be accompanied by a set of indicators to appraise activities undertaken by diverse stakeholders (in cooperation with the other PhDs). We will appraise pathways in terms of resilience, encompassing robustness, adaptability and transformability. Special attention will be given to decisions and action that create traction for, or lock-in to alternative preferred states (with WP 3 in particular). Insights from these assessments will inform discussions with multiple stakeholders towards a high-quality climate-resilient living environment.

Method

To achieve the main objective, two primary methods are used. First reviewing existing pathways cases (from literature) and second co-creating pathways with stakeholders. The aim is to test and explore different aspects of using climate resilient development pathways in practice.

(Expected) results

  • Retrospective assessment of development trajectories
  • Expanding and testing methods of co-creating climate resilient development pathways
  • A framework for appraising pathways to achieve climate-resilient land and water systems

Publications

Smolenaars, W. J., Sommerauer, W. J. W., van der Bolt, B., Jamil, M. K., Dhaubanjar, S., Lutz, A., ... & Biemans, H. (2023). Spatial adaptation pathways to reconcile future water and food security in the Indus River basin. Communications Earth & Environment, 4(1), 410.