Theories of Climate Change Adaptation

Climate change is the biggest issue we face, and yet there is little agreement over the best way to address it. Many theoretical approaches exist that propose methods of dealing with climate change, but these theories may lead us to different practical conclusions or approaches. It is important to understand the overarching theories that guide our response to climate change, sometimes referred to as “management theories,” in order to provide a larger context to our fight against climate change. Many management theories work to create structure we can follow to better implement solutions.

This article examines various theories of climate change adaptation and discusses how each theory may help us move towards a more certain future. The article concludes with an exploration of several prominent climate change adaptation techniques.

What Is the Theory of Change?

This is the most frequently discussed theory when it comes to climate change adaptation, as it provides a valuable guiding theory for creating climate adaptation plans. In the context of climate change, the Theory of Change is a comprehensive description of how and why we expect a particular result when we implement climate policy or bioengineering strategies.

The Theory of Change maps out the relationship between a long-term goal of a project or strategy and the early to mid-range changes required to bring it to fruition. It’s particularly beneficial with climate change adaptation to help teams or stakeholders understand and explain how a project will reach its goals and by which changes the result(s) will occur. The Theory of Change focuses on the question “how do I make change happen?” rather than “what should my project do?” In other words, it focuses on data-based actualities rather than hopes, allowing a more comprehensive and thought-out approach to climate adaptation strategies. Further, the ToC’s design provides flexibility, allowing projects to respond to social, political, or natural changes as they progress. 

While the theory of change may not be a perfect fit for climate adaptation, many experts recommend using it as a baseline for transformative change, or the process by which a company changes its business model, which often results from changes in the structure, culture, or management of a company. Applying the theory of change to climate change may be a positive step towards making concrete, transformative action towards adaptation and mitigation. The theory of change allows for multiple stakeholders to understand the decision-making process, and for the process to be designed to hit specific, incremental goals along the way.

What Is Stakeholder Theory?

Stakeholder theory focuses on how stakeholders affect corporate decisions. Under this theory, stakeholders are defined as anyone who can influence, or is influenced by, the decisions of a company. This may include customers, employees, investors, and the community at large. Under this theory, if stakeholders apply pressure to companies, they may be more likely to meet their demands. 

In the case of climate change, Stakeholder Theory extends the goals of business past simply making a profit for traditional shareholders, and towards holding companies accountable to a wider audience. This theory helps bring the negative environmental effects that companies create into the conversation, as these affect stakeholders such as customers and communities. 

In practice, the Stakeholder Theory points out that companies may make different decisions on what kinds of environmental impact information is reported depending on the stakeholders, or recipients, of that information. Different stakeholders (for example, shareholders vs the public) put different pressures on an organization. For example, a 2016 study found that companies reported different amounts of greenhouse gas emissions depending on who (which stakeholder) was receiving the information: traditional corporate reports or the nonprofit Carbon Disclosure Project. Increased pressure from stakeholders may be a promising pathway to increase transparency from companies.

Following Stakeholder Theory, climate adaptation practices would focus on applying pressure to companies from stakeholders.

What Is Game Theory?

While it’s not always discussed in relation to climate change, game theory is one of the most helpful theories in understanding group conflict and cooperation, which to many is the ultimate problem standing in the way of climate adaptation.

Game theory is defined as “the mathematical study of conflict and cooperation between actors or groups.” In the case of climate change, the “groups” or “actors” can be defined differently, but often focuses on governments. The theory frames the problem of climate change as a “game” as different actors have different incentives and goals they are all trying to achieve. Because we don’t have a single, global government that can impose rules on everyone else, all governments are instead playing a “game,” in which they must cooperate while still acting out of self-interest.

Some scholars use game theory to liken climate change to the famed “prisoner’s dilemma,” in which individual actors are not incentivized to act on behalf of the good of the group. For example, international agreements on climate change are difficult to come to because the countries that benefit the most from greenhouse gas emissions are the least affected, and therefore the least interested in coming to an agreement that benefits everyone (reducing emissions).

Read more about theory-based solutions to climate change: Climate Change Adaptation Case Studies: Theory vs. Practice

Climate change is the biggest issue we face, and yet there is little agreement over the best way to address it. Many theoretical approaches exist that propose methods of dealing with climate change, but these theories may lead us to different practical conclusions or approaches. It is important to understand the overarching theories that guide…