A rights-based perspective on adaptive capacity

This research paper proposes a rights-based analytical tool to broaden the understanding of adaptive capacity by focusing on the socio-political causes of exclusion and marginalization, illustrated through a case study of aquatic agricultural systems in Timor-Leste.

• The authors argue that current development modes often fail to recognize or challenge the socio-political contexts that limit the capacity to adapt to climate change.
• To address these gaps, the authors developed an analytical tool for communities based on human rights principles, focusing on four key dimensions: equality, transparency, accountability, and empowerment.
• Applying a rights-based framing allows for a qualitative analysis of formal and informal institutions and actors, revealing the processes of marginalization and exclusion that create differences in adaptive capacity and identifying specific actions for development support.
• The paper concludes that building adaptive capacity requires development actors to address both technical climate challenges and the social and political contexts that dictate how costs and benefits are distributed.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2015). A rights-based perspective on adaptive capacity. https://www.sei.org/publications/a-rights-based-perspective-on-adaptive-capacity/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. A rights-based perspective on adaptive capacity. 2015. https://www.sei.org/publications/a-rights-based-perspective-on-adaptive-capacity/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=A rights-based perspective on adaptive capacity |date=12 January 2015 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/a-rights-based-perspective-on-adaptive-capacity/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2015rightsbased, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{A rights-based perspective on adaptive capacity}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2015}, month = jan, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/a-rights-based-perspective-on-adaptive-capacity/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }