Social learning and climate change adaptation: evidence for international development practice

The document examines social learning as a method for addressing complex climate change adaptation challenges through cycles of knowledge sharing and joint action among diverse stakeholders. It identifies three cross-cutting themes for practitioners: the necessity of a shared vision of how change occurs, the critical role of skilled facilitation where practitioners act as participants, and the importance of addressing social differences to prevent the co-option of less powerful actors in decision-making.

• Social learning is characterized by iterative cycles of knowledge sharing and collective action intended to co-create knowledge, relationships, and practices across diverse stakeholders, extending learning beyond individuals to communities, networks, or systems.
• Effective social learning interventions for adaptation rely on three cross-cutting elements: a shared understanding of the mechanism of change linked to specific tools, the use of skilled facilitators who can transition into participants in the learning process, and a conscious effort to manage social differences and power imbalances to protect marginalized actors.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2015). Social learning and climate change adaptation: evidence for international development practice. https://www.sei.org/publications/social-learning-and-climate-change-adaptation-evidence-for-international-development-practice/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Social learning and climate change adaptation: evidence for international development practice. 2015. https://www.sei.org/publications/social-learning-and-climate-change-adaptation-evidence-for-international-development-practice/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Social learning and climate change adaptation: evidence for international development practice |date=24 June 2015 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/social-learning-and-climate-change-adaptation-evidence-for-international-development-practice/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2015social, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Social learning and climate change adaptation: evidence for international development practice}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2015}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/social-learning-and-climate-change-adaptation-evidence-for-international-development-practice/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }