The Adaptation Network is a platform for sharing experiences, practical approaches and frameworks relating to climate change adaptation. Membership includes representatives from civil society, government, parastatals, academia and business.
The Network is hosted by Indigo development and change, based in Nieuwoudtville in the Northern Cape, South Africa. The Secretariat is guided by a Steering Committee which is elected annually at the annual general meetings.
Membership is open to all who work in the field of climate change adaptation and subscribe to the values of the network, as seen in the Adaptation Network Constitution.
The Adaptation Network’s Vision is: A resilient Africa for all!
Researchers and practitioners who work with communities that are consciously adapting to climatic change have unique opportunities to gain insights into the challenges experienced by people on the grass-roots level, as well as the emerging strategies that people have evolved and put into practice. All too often these insights are not widely shared, and we lack opportunities to explore their complexity in a free yet rigorous way. In response to these shortcomings, participants of the 2009 National Climate Change Summit expressed the view that there would be value in linking up those engaged in and working on issues relating to climate change adaptation.
The conference further emphasised the importance of focused coordination for national climate change adaptation work. Many delegates expressed the need for a platform where those involved in adaptation work can share experiences and practical approaches, and explore the relative value of theoretical frameworks and methodologies that can add value to national and international policy processes. Thus, the concept of a creative adaptation platform emerged.
In November 2009, the first general meeting of the Adaptation Network was held in Cape Town at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. The network was formalised and an administrative structure and the core direction for the network’s work were established. The founding steering committee comprised representatives of the Environmental Monitoring Group, Project 90 by 2030 and Indigo development and change. The second annual general meeting of was held in March 2010 at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens.
Membership is open to all working or interested in community based adaptation, who subscribe to the values and objectives of the Adaptation Network.
The objectives of the Adaptation Network are:
- To promote knowledge sharing and partnerships amongst practitioners and institutions engaged in developing and applying the theory and practice of adaptation to climatic variability and change
- Be an open forum for sharing resources, knowledge and ideas and promoting the integration of different kinds of knowledge
- Provide a space to grow partnerships and support one another
- Be a recognised point of contact for consultation, lobbying and advocacy
- Enable members to advocate for improved delivery in climate adaptation at all levels (focus on finding common ground, not joint positions on all issues)
- Provide co-ordination to encourage alignment and connectivity
- Provide a platform for promoting collective positions
- Assist members to promote awareness through education, shared information and shared platforms
- Highlight what is already happening in terms of education and communication
- Be a central point for providing information
- Promote better planning and evaluation across the Network
- Promote activities that build the capacity of communities to innovate and adapt
- Paint a positive picture, and communicate a message of hope to communities that “we’re up for the climate challenge”
- Support national processes that support adaptation and the funding of adaptation activities