Lessons from Local Adaptation Practice Stories of Resilience 2023

This report by the Global Center on Adaptation and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network documents 19 locally led adaptation (LLA) initiatives globally. It emphasizes the importance of devolving decision-making to the lowest appropriate level, addressing structural inequalities (particularly for women and Indigenous Peoples), and providing patient, predictable funding. The document highlights how communities use ecosystem restoration, circular economy practices, and intergenerational collaboration to build resilience, while calling for a shift in climate finance to better support holistic, community-defined priorities.

• Locally led adaptation (LLA) is most effective when it is informed and driven by local contexts, populations, and priorities, which enhances the adequacy and effectiveness of support and can promote transformational adaptation.
• Communities are increasingly using ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) because healthy ecosystems provide essential water and food security, reduce disaster risks like landslides and floods, and support psychosocial resilience.
• The report identifies a critical need for a new funding paradigm for LLA, calling for patient, predictable, and responsive funding that allows local communities to scale their work without bearing all the risks.
• Women-led adaptation initiatives often address climate risks holistically, combining technical adaptation with efforts to counter discriminatory social norms and gender-based violence.
• Intergenerational collaboration is a key driver of innovation, combining modern scientific tools and technology with Indigenous and local knowledge to accelerate adaptation.
• Circular economy initiatives, such as turning 'waste into wealth', reduce climate-induced flooding by removing solid waste from drains and create sustainable livelihoods through recycling organic and plastic waste.
• Indigenous knowledge systems are being adapted to modern climate complexities, such as the use of 'hurricane houses' in Vanuatu and traditional rainwater harvesting in India.
• Psychological distress is a major public health problem linked to climate change, and community-based interventions—such as lay counseling and collective action—can build psychological resilience.
• Solidarity networks and federations of local actors, such as Slum Dwellers International, amplify the political voice of marginalized groups and allow them to hold international funders and corporations accountable.
• The requirement for a technical 'climate rationale' often acts as a bottleneck for local communities accessing climate finance; the report advocates for simpler, more flexible evidence formats like videos or essays.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2023). Lessons from Local Adaptation Practice Stories of Resilience 2023. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2023-11/GCA%20Locally%20Led%20Adaptation%20Report_WEB.pdf

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. Lessons from Local Adaptation Practice Stories of Resilience 2023. 2023. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2023-11/GCA%20Locally%20Led%20Adaptation%20Report_WEB.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=Lessons from Local Adaptation Practice Stories of Resilience 2023 |date=2023 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2023-11/GCA%20Locally%20Led%20Adaptation%20Report_WEB.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2023lessons, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{Lessons from Local Adaptation Practice Stories of Resilience 2023}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2023}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2023-11/GCA%20Locally%20Led%20Adaptation%20Report_WEB.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }