Data, concepts and methods for large‐n comparative climate change adaptation policy research: A systematic literature review

• Published in: Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. Climate change Vol. 9; no. 6; pp. e548 - n/a
• Main Authors: Biesbroek, Robbert, Berrang‐Ford, Lea, Ford, James D., Tanabe, Andrew, Austin, Stephanie E., Lesnikowski, Alexandra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-11-2018; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adaptation; Case studies; Climate adaptation; Climate change; Climate change adaptation; Climate change research; Comparative policy; Data; Data collection; Decision making; Empirical analysis; Environmental policy; Literature reviews; Methods; Policy analysis; Policy research; Sampling; Sampling methods; Systematic review
• ISSN: 1757-7780; 1757-7799
• DOI: 10.1002/wcc.548

Climate change adaptation research is dominated by in‐depth, qualitative, single‐ or small‐n case studies that have resulted in rich and in‐depth understanding on adaptation processes and decision making in specific locations. Recently, the number of comparative adaptation policy cases has increased, focusing on examining, describing, and/or explaining how countries, regions, and vulnerable groups are adapting across a larger sample of contexts and over time. There are, however, critical empirical, conceptual and methodological choices and challenges for comparative adaptation research. This article systematically captures and assesses the current state of larger‐n (n ≥ 20 cases) comparative adaptation policy literature. We systematically analyze 72 peer‐reviewed articles to identify the key choices and challenges authors face when conducting their research. We find among others that almost all studies use nonprobability sampling methods, few existing comparative adaptation datasets exist, most studies use easy accessible data which might not be most appropriate for the research question, many struggle to disentangle rhetoric from reality in adaptation, and very few studies engage in critical reflection of their conceptual, data and methodological choices and the implications for their findings. We conclude that efforts to increase data availability and use of more rigorous methodologies are necessary to advance comparative adaptation research.
This article is categorized under:
Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change > Learning from Cases and Analogies
Steps for systematic review of data, concepts and methods in large‐n comparative climate change adaptation policy research.