Climate adaptation in Asia: knowledge gaps and research issues in China, final report to IDRC and DFID

Full report of the China team

This is a summary of a report on climate change adaptation research knowledge and capacity gaps in China, commissioned by DFID (UK) and IDRC (Canada) to consider support for a programme of applied research on climate adaptation in Asia.

In accordance with donor priorities, the study involves the identification of vulnerable groups in geographical regions likely to face great stress from climate change. Four domains of adaptation research are seen to be relevant for China. These will provide a way to frame and link research across different disciplines and scales to prepare for appropriate adaptation strategies.

- Local management of natural resources – apart from agricultural research, this area does not receive much research attention, but is likely to grow in importance. For example, rangeland management for livestock production
- Local disaster risk reduction and resilience - assessment of the trends in wetland degradation or lowland vulnerability to sea level storm surges and flooding
- Migration – highlights the need to improve the social and economic effectiveness of migration and to foster climate adaptation in both rural and urban areas
- Practical and flexible organisational strategies for government – discusses the development of better institutions for adaptive management suited to Chinese conditions