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Development Futures in the Context of Climate Change: Challenging the Present and Learning from the Past
Author(s) -
Brooks Nick,
Grist Natasha,
Brown Katrina
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
development policy review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.671
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1467-7679
pISSN - 0950-6764
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-7679.2009.00468.x
Subject(s) - maladaptation , climate change , futures contract , context (archaeology) , vulnerability (computing) , psychological resilience , adaptation (eye) , externality , globalization , modernization theory , development economics , economics , political science , natural resource economics , geography , economic growth , ecology , psychology , market economy , social psychology , computer security , archaeology , neuroscience , psychiatry , computer science , biology , microeconomics , financial economics
Climate change poses a challenge to the dominant development paradigm with its concepts of modernisation, economic growth and globalisation which treat the environment as an externality and largely ignore climate variability. This article explores the extent of the challenge, drawing on archaeological evidence showing that adaptation to severe climate change can involve much more radical changes in human societies than are currently envisaged. Furthermore, short‐term adaptation can result in long‐term maladaptation, increasing vulnerability to climate shocks. The article argues that development urgently needs to shift its focus away from prevailing growth and yield‐maximisation models towards alternatives encouraging resilience and risk‐spreading.