Climate Change Adaptation Study Finds Existing Research InadequateAs part of our work in Tamil Nadu, India, we are interested in looking at the issue of climate change adaptation in the region. Lizzie Wain, a recent science graduate from Bristol, became involved with The Converging World earlier this year through a common interest in this subject. She has produced a new study which reviews and assesses current research in terms of how well it might guide an adaptation strategy for the region. Her initial conclusions and recommendations are perhaps surprising, and have major implications for the subject. Lizzie investigated the existing body of research from key institutions including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations (UN), The Department for International Development (DIFD), The Indian Government, and The British High Commission in India. Her work asked if this research provided a sufficient basis for developing a response strategy on the ground in Tamil Nadu. The answer was no. It was found that only large-scale trends have been investigated, generating insufficient understanding with which to determine strategy in regions such as Tamil Nadu. Due to this lack of data, guidance comes from global trends. For example, it is widely reported that water resources are particularly sensitive to climate change in developing countries, and rice production, one of India’s main exports, is already seeing production adaptations enforced by local governments due to water scarcity. Another issue is the change of land use from primary production to tertiary industry. This is due to the pressures of urbanization as the economy transitions to a tertiary sector-driven economy. However, many of these points are vague, and cover large areas of land mass. With regard to Tamil Nadu, it is almost impossible to determine, from accepted literature, what the situation is on the ground. This report has concluded that government organisations are promising aid, but have limited resources to ensure that the aid is delivered effectively. A comprehensive report, formulated in Tamil Nadu, would allow joint objectives to be clearly established. A new project would: a) Assess, via a legitimate review panel, the specific local research that has already been published, to allow it to be used by the IPCC, the UN and other leading bodies. b) Consider the need to collect new data on existing environmental pressures and climate change in the area. c) Build up local knowledge on current adaptations to climate change, and assess what needs to happen towards future sustainability. d) Create a realistic and practical plan for delivering adaptation activities with the available resources. A more comprehensive brief for a new research project would need to have input from The Converging World, DFID and The British High Commission in India, among others. It would allow progress to be made, and action to be taken off the paper to the area in need. The existing research used at high level has only begun to scratch the surface. We need to dig deeper, and look closer.The full report will soon be available on our website.