From Case Studies to Climate Adaptation Policy: a Framework for Dialogue Between Local Professionals and Decision Makers

The policy brief examines how local climate adaptation lessons are 'upscaled' to inform higher-level decision-making. It introduces a framework based on two axes—epistemology (realism vs. constructionism) and intent of inquiry (universalism vs. contextualism)—to categorize how case studies mediate between local efforts and political goals. By analyzing projects in Sweden, Canada, and Indonesia, the brief demonstrates that methodological choices determine whether research supports planned regulatory policy or non-coercive, self-organized adaptation. It emphasizes the need to balance benefits between community stakeholders, policy makers, and researchers.

• Mainstreaming climate adaptation into sectoral policies typically follows an 'upscaling' model, where lessons from local processes inform higher-level administrative decision-making. This creates a need for dialogue between policy makers seeking generalized conclusions and researchers studying community-based adaptation in specific contexts.
• The choice of research methodology is not merely academic but determines the type of policy the research supports. Methodological decisions dictate whether a case study serves planned policy characterized by coercion and regulation, or non-coercive policy that facilitates self-organized adaptation.
• Case studies can function as platforms to surface the practical capacities of stakeholders, allowing their experiences to drive the reconstitution of existing institutions.
• Because climate adaptation research for policy is inherently political, researchers must balance the benefits of the work among community members, policy makers, and the researchers themselves.

APA

Larsen, R. K., Swartling, Å., Powell, N., & Osbeck, M. (2011). From Case Studies to Climate Adaptation Policy: a Framework for Dialogue Between Local Professionals and Decision Makers. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-PolicyBrief-Larsen-FromCaseStudiesToClimateAdaptationPolicy-2011.pdf

Chicago

Larsen, Rasmus K., Åsa Swartling, Neil Powell, and Maria Osbeck. From Case Studies to Climate Adaptation Policy: a Framework for Dialogue Between Local Professionals and Decision Makers. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2011. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-PolicyBrief-Larsen-FromCaseStudiesToClimateAdaptationPolicy-2011.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{larsen2011from, author = {Larsen, Rasmus K. and Swartling, Åsa and Powell, Neil and Osbeck, Maria}, title = {{From Case Studies to Climate Adaptation Policy: a Framework for Dialogue Between Local Professionals and Decision Makers}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2011}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-PolicyBrief-Larsen-FromCaseStudiesToClimateAdaptationPolicy-2011.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }