Using climate information to support adaptation planning and policy-making

The document outlines an eight-step process for integrating scientific climate data into adaptation planning, emphasizing that adaptation is a socio-institutional learning process rather than a purely technical exercise. It demonstrates this workflow through a case study in the Philippi suburb of Cape Town, where climate data is used to evaluate the trade-offs between maintaining vegetable production and rezoning land for low-cost housing. The guide highlights the importance of using both historical observations and future projections (RCP 4.5 and 8.5) to inform decisions on flood risk and heat stress.

• Adaptation is described not as a technical exercise in reducing impacts, but as a "process of socio-institutional learning in a specific context" that requires accountable leadership and deliberation among stakeholders with competing agendas.
• The guide recommends a specific eight-step workflow for using climate information: defining a clear planning question, identifying nearby climate stations on weADAPT, analyzing historical data in the CIP, examining future projections, validating findings with other nearby stations, synthesizing the results ("so what?"), researching similar global projects, and sharing the results back to the platform.
• In the Cape Town case study, historical data from the Cape Town International Airport station (1979–2000) shows a rainy season from April/May to October, with June and July typically receiving the most rainfall, averaging 100.47 mm and 93.49 mm respectively.
• Future projections for the 2040–2060 period in the Philippi area suggest that the risk of winter flooding will likely remain similar to current levels or decrease slightly, as most models indicate a decrease in average total monthly rainfall during winter months.
• Temperature projections for 2040–2060 indicate a significant increase in heat stress for the Philippi area, with the number of very hot days (exceeding 32°C) projected to "double or even triple" under the RCP 8.5 scenario.
• The case study concludes that while rainfall projections do not suggest increasing flood risk, adaptation is still urgent due to current high risk levels, and the projected increase in hot days threatens vegetable crop yields unless measures like shade cloth and increased irrigation are implemented.

APA

Taylor, A. (2013). Using climate information to support adaptation planning and policy-making. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/weADAPT-CIP-integration-guidance-with-case-study.pdf

Chicago

Taylor, Anna. Using climate information to support adaptation planning and policy-making. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2013. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/weADAPT-CIP-integration-guidance-with-case-study.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Taylor |first1=Anna |title=Using climate information to support adaptation planning and policy-making |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=June 2013 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/weADAPT-CIP-integration-guidance-with-case-study.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{taylor2013using, author = {Taylor, Anna}, title = {{Using climate information to support adaptation planning and policy-making}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2013}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/weADAPT-CIP-integration-guidance-with-case-study.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }