Overcoming barriers to climate adaptation: Role and comparison of international networks

Ongoing international negotiations are putting greater emphasis on the need for greater cooperation between developed and developing countries as well as among developing countries in order to promote climate change adaptation at all institutional levels. The pace at which adaptation is being implemented however does not meet the demands of climate sensitive communities due to various institutional barriers. While various adaptation networks, both globally and in the Asia Pacific region, have recently formed to overcome these barriers, they have net met their full potential in enabling economies to become climate resilient. Among these is the lack of communication and collaboration among different domains of expertise. In this paper, we examine the role of existing networks, stakeholders involved, operational modalities, and their expected outcomes and we verify recent activities that are helping to overcome these barriers and creating synergy by improving efficiency, strengthening coordination, and aiding in the convergence of multiple priorities.