Johanna Nalau | Griffith University (original) (raw)

Papers by Johanna Nalau

Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe - HAL - SHS, Feb 28, 2022

Supplemental material, Supplemental_material for Exploring the Multiple Benefits of Ecosystem-Bas... more Supplemental material, Supplemental_material for Exploring the Multiple Benefits of Ecosystem-Based Adaptation in Tourism for Climate Risks and Destination Well-Being by Johanna Loehr, Susanne Becken, Johanna Nalau and Brendan Mackey in Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research

Global Environmental Change

Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance

The Pacific Islands region has made strong progress on the integration of climate change, disaste... more The Pacific Islands region has made strong progress on the integration of climate change, disaster management and development frameworks, particularly via the Pacific Urban Agenda and the Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific. These frameworks highlight the need for local- level collaboration in achieving ambitious pathways for climate- and disaster-resilient development. However, to date little research has investigated the role that local-level collaboration plays in implementation. Additionally, there is a lack of guidance on how to design and implement local-level collaboration that is informed by in-country practitioner experiences. This study addresses those gaps. Its findings indicate that in the Pacific collaborative attributes span individuals, institutions, collaborative arrangements, and broader governance systems. They also suggest that the skills needed to undertake collaboration well at the local level are, in part, already manifest in Pacific cultures as ...

Research Handbook on Climate Change Adaptation Policy, 2019

This chapter focuses on adaptation policy specifically as it pertains to Pacific Small Island Dev... more This chapter focuses on adaptation policy specifically as it pertains to Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) that are often identified as being particularly vulnerable to climate change. The chapter explores the role of social and political institutions in adaptation policy development and implementation and the kinds of conceptualizations, which are used about the SIDS in global climate adaptation discourse. Of particular interest is how the unique social and political structures of small islands combined with the perceive urgency of climate risks influences the adaptation policy and planning discussions. It sets out the underpinnings of postcolonialism and explains how such theorizing can increase the depth of understandings in regards to climate adaptation policy development and practice with a focus on the Pacific SIDS. We share several examples of how adaptation policy processes currently fail to include the socio-cultural contexts of Pacific nations and suggest key research and policy directions, which could build on a more inclusive and holistic view of Pacific SIDS.

Research Handbook on Climate Change Adaptation Policy, 2019

The Fifth Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) notes that con... more The Fifth Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) notes that constraints to adaptation 'are linked to governance systems and the quality of national institutions as well as limited scientific capacity and ongoing development challenges (e.g., poverty, literacy, and civil and political rights)' (Klein et al. 2014, p. 904). The literature on adaptation constraints and limits has evolved over recent years into a comprehensive body of literature that describes the technological, physical, ecological, financial, social, cultural, information and cognitive issues (Adger et al. 2009; Biesbroek et al. 2013; Klein et al. 2014; Leal Filho and Nalau 2018; Reisigner et al. 2014) that are likely to hinder adaptation efforts. In relation to institutions, the main institutional governance constraints have been identified as 'those barriers in policy processes that stagnate policy processes, which are beyond the capabilities of individuals to break through and need collective action to change them' (Biesbroek et al. 2009, p. 3).

Environment and Urbanization Asia, 2020

This article introduces the concept of ‘Sea Cities’ to emphasize a range of tactics to acknowledg... more This article introduces the concept of ‘Sea Cities’ to emphasize a range of tactics to acknowledge the relationship between the sea and cities. This concept is critical for the possibility of integrating future aquatic-based urbanism to address climate change, and in particular, the issue of rising sea levels, which is currently faced by the majority of coastal cities. We compare and assess the tactics of four sea cities (i.e., to fortify, accommodate, release, and floating) against the case study of Jakarta. Jakarta is deemed to be among the metropolitan cities most vulnerable to sea level rise, owing to overpopulation alongside the fact that its land is sinking rapidly due to massive urban development. In order to understand the prospects and pitfalls of each tactic for Jakarta, we analyse scholarly literature on the subject, official government reports and documents, as well as policy briefs released by governments at the national level. This study finds that massive hard structu...

This introduction contextualise the issue of limits to adaptation and describes the papers which ... more This introduction contextualise the issue of limits to adaptation and describes the papers which are presented on this book.

He is a member of the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN.net) and he was a le... more He is a member of the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN.net) and he was a lead author of a number city resilience strategy in Indonesia both under ACCCRN and the UN-Habitat's Cities and Climate Change Initiative (CCCI) programs.

Resilient Destinations and Tourism, 2018

Many tourism businesses are highly dependent on weather and climate. This makes dependence on tou... more Many tourism businesses are highly dependent on weather and climate. This makes dependence on tourism both an asset and a risk especially in regions, such as tropical Pacific Islands, which have been classified as climate change hotspots. This chapter looks at some of the emerging alternative approaches in knowledge management, tourism governance and policy that are based on indigenous systems, as an attempt to increase the resilience of the tourism sector and the socio-ecological environment it depends on. We do this by investigating two central concepts of resilience theoryvulnerability and adaptive capacity, from an indigenous Pacific islands perspective.

Nature Climate Change, 2021

Communications Earth & Environment, 2021

Climate Change Management, 2017

This short chapter draws some general conclusions from the experiences and insights from various ... more This short chapter draws some general conclusions from the experiences and insights from various chapters in the book and outlines some of the challenges in implementing climate change initiatives, with a view to overcoming the limits to adaptation.

Loss and Damage from Climate Change, 2018

Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe - HAL - SHS, Feb 28, 2022

Global Environmental Change

Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance

Research Handbook on Climate Change Adaptation Policy, 2019

Environment and Urbanization Asia, 2020

Resilient Destinations and Tourism, 2018

Nature Climate Change, 2021

Communications Earth & Environment, 2021

Climate Change Management, 2017

Loss and Damage from Climate Change, 2018

In the international climate policy arena, it has become increasingly recognised that ecosystem-b... more In the international climate policy arena, it has become increasingly recognised that
ecosystem-based approaches “can offer cost-effective, proven and sustainable solutions
contributing to, and complementing, other national and regional adaptation strategies” (World
Bank, 2009, p. 8). Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) is often advocated as a particularly
well-suited climate adaptation approach especially in developing and least developed
countries (Bourne et al., 2016; Pasquilini and Cowling, 2015; World Bank, 2009). Its
perceived strength lies in the premise that adaptation strategies need to address both
ecosystems and livelihoods, given these are crucially intertwined and both under a threat
from climate change (Munroe et al., 2012; Roberts et al., 2012).
Many recent reviews have tried to better understand what exactly EbA is, what its current
challenges are and what opportunities it offers (Chong, 2014; Doswald et al., 2014; Ojea,
2014; Reid, 2015). While these recent reviews provide useful information on how EbA is
being approached, there seems to be a tacit assumption that people generally agree and
know what ‘ecosystem-based adaptation’ means. This may not be the case, and this review
seeks to contribute to clarifying the concept.
The purpose of this report is to provide analysis of the key concepts included and embedded
in EbA discourse, and examine what exactly forms the essence of ‘EbA-ness’ in adaptation
policy and research activities. More specifically the review focused on identifying different
EbA definitions, and on differentiating assumed benefits, and the enablers for effective EbA.
Specific analysis of the constraints is presented elsewhere (Nalau et al., under review)
although we touch upon some generic issues regarding constraints and limits also in this
report.
The report found that overall the discourse in regards to preferring EbA as an adaptation
approach includes such concepts as co-benefits and trade-offs, which all relate also to the
ways EbA is constrained and/or enabled as an option for climate change adaptation. The
main constraints related mostly to issues of governance systems and hierarchies, social and
cultural constraints, knowledge-related issues and gaps, and physical constraints and limits.
In contrast, the enabling factors related mostly to governance and knowledge aspects, with
heavy emphasis on multi-stakeholder participation, and using diverse sets of knowledges,
which are seen to enable a more equitable and just approach to climate change adaptation
in particular in the Pacific region.
Recommendations put forward include the need to provide well-documented case studies of
EbA in the region, which crystallise the main lessons learned, including the practical
challenges in designing and implementing multi-stakeholder projects, and how EbA can be
measured and monitored to ensure it is delivering the expected benefits. Increasing the
evidence base for EbA, while remaining realistic about the political and governance systems
and capacity to adapt, is an important next step. More research should also examine the
decision-making processes and to identify the main influencing factors when making
decisions on adaptation options, and examine the robustness of EbA ‘heuristics’ in use.