Skip to main content
WCS
Menu
Library
Library Catalog
eJournals & eBooks
WCS Research
Archives
Research Use
Finding Aids
Digital Collections
WCS History
WCS Research
Research Publications
Science Data
Services for WCS Researchers
Archives Shop
Bronx Zoo
Department of Tropical Research
Browse By Product
About Us
FAQs
Intern or Volunteer
Staff
Donate
Search WCS.org
Search
search
Popular Search Terms
WCS History
Library and Archives
Library and Archives Menu
Library
Archives
WCS Research
Archives Shop
About Us
Donate
en
fr
Title
Flexible and comprehensive criteria for evaluating climate change adaptation success for biodiversity and natural resource conservation
Author(s)
Peterson St-Laurent, Guillaume; Oakes, Lauren E.; Cross, Molly; Hagerman, Shannon
Published
2022
Publisher
Environmental Science & Policy
Published Version DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.10.019
Abstract
Assessing the success of climate change adaptation initiatives and expenditures requires consideration of multiple complex dimensions that interact across time and space—a task that is difficult and sometimes controversial. These challenges are exacerbated in conservation contexts where there are no clear and accepted definitions, goals, strategies, and evaluation criteria for adaptation. Using a Delphi expert elicitation (n = 18) involving successive semi-structured interview and survey phases, we address this gap by developing a concise yet comprehensive set of criteria to evaluate the success of adaptation projects. Through this process we identified 16 evaluation criteria organized into four categories: (1) use of information, (2) project management, (3) ecological and social outcomes, and (4) advancing the field of adaptation. We then trialed these criteria using an online survey of adaptation practitioners (n = 47), including to assess the relative importance of the various criteria for evaluating climate adaptation projects as compared with the views of experts involved in the Delphi survey. Results highlight a potential disconnect between what is considered important in theory (as perceived by experts) and in practice (as perceived by practitioners). Finally, we discuss potential use of the evaluation criteria.
Keywords
Climate change adaptation; Conservation; Evaluation criteria; Adaptation success; Expert elicitation; Delphi process
Access Full Text
A full-text copy of this article may be available. Please email the
WCS Library
to request.
Back
PUB27159