The politics of climate change adaptation: An Integrative Approach of Development and Climate Change Interventions in Nepal and Mongolia Siri Eriksen, Andrei Marin and Sigrid Nagoda

NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES THE POLITICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION 2 Project background:  Comparison of Nepal and Mongolia, two highland areas with vulnerable populations.  Project period: 2011 – 2013, data collection ongoing  Objective: To understand the mechanisms by which development policies and interventions influence people’s ability to adapt sustainably to climate change –Illustrate how climate change adaptation is included in political discourses, processes and relations, and how this in turn determines vulnerability patterns and adaptation options –Develop a framework for understanding the mechanisms by which political interests related to adaptation influence the potential and constraints for sustainable adaptation –Idenitfy options for how the needs of the poor can more effectively be integrated in adaptation policy processes in order to support development efforts

NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES Preliminary findings, Nepal: A research focus on repeated food distribution, power relations, knowledge and local capacity in North Western Nepal Power relations such as those evident in caste and social marginalisation lead to unequal capacity for people to adapt to climate change and to enhance their food security Caste, social exclusion and power relations may be maintained by food aid and policies. THE POLITICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION 3

NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES Preliminary findings, contd: Climate change is very much used in policy discourses to keep doing old humanitarian activities that imply food aid and seed aid without questioning the causes of people’s vulnerability Food aid may sustain chronic food insecurity on the long term as food aid does not intend to challenge power structures and dependency relations at the local level. On the contrary it maintains a status quo where people are struggling to survive in a very hierarchical and social cemented place.

NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES Preliminary findings: Mongolia Research focus on the influence of development interventions on pastoralists’ adaptive capacity Mongolia is an unusual example of the integration of CC adaptation strategies with development strategies (based on MDGs guidelines) Adaptation policy focus in effect targeted at the larger scale producers, marginalising smaller scale pastoralists. Some national level strategies are misinformed and may backfire if focus only sector based adaptation rather than livelihoods (lack of jobs, age limits, small markets). Other strategies (Pastureland law) are presented as CC adaptation but reflect old political struggles (to privatise pastureland). THE POLITICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION 5

NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES Preliminary findings, contd: 1. Land privatisation and targeting of large herders with assistance as an adaptation strategy is in line with development policies and may undermine the adaptive capacity of herders 2. The local administration (Sum) has money for local development, but herders (on the move) may not easily influence local policies towards their adaptation needs (e.g in building hay storage place or make more wells). Donors may also influence the agenda 3. Herders are not equal 4. Few alternatives to herding 5. Richer herders may be more appealing to Min. of Agriculture and may support land privatisation, but this may also exclude others (poorer) who become even more vulnerable. THE POLITICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION 6