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Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

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Brief

Indigenous, traditional and local knowledge for bottom-up adaptation innovation

Adaptation technologies are location- and sector-specific. The process of their development, transfer, and adoption are complex and are not usually guided by established market mechanism. At the local level, uses of adaptation technology are usually guided by coping or autonomous response to climate impacts. Adoption of appropriate adaptation technologies requires fulfillment of a number of conditions not only at the point of application but also in the broader market and policy spectrum. Given impending risks of climate change beyond 1.5°C global warming, additional adaptation consideration will be necessary to design and apply a suit of adaptation technologies considering multi- and systemic risk scenario. This paper proposes a bottom-up approach for adaptation technology development, transfer and adoption stressing the importance of indigenous, traditional and local knowledge (ITLK) systems, local innovations, efforts, and initiatives. The paper explains how communities, government, scientific community, and private sector could be a part for creating local markets of appropriate adaptation technology and related services.