Climate change adaptation and risk management: reflections and implications

This paper is the first of a series of technical notes arising from the Public Investment and Climate Change Adaptation Project (IPACC) project and whose principle goal is to facilitate an understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of disaster risk management and climate change adaptation relevant to the public and private sector. It aims to further advance a discussion of the issues that could be used to adapt, update or expand on the conceptual framework of disaster risk management in the light of climate change and adaptation.

The paper comprises four chapters that: (i) provide a succinct understanding of the concept of climate change and its main implications; (ii) focus on disaster risk in the context of climate change, the concept and its characteristic elements; (iii) address disaster risk management and the way in which the concept and its categories (prospective, corrective and compensatory or reactive management) should adjust to incorporate climate change considerations; and (iv) present the conclusions that highlight the main adjustments required of risk management in order to take account of climate change and adaptation.