Decisions, options, and actions in the face of uncertainty: a systematic bibliometric and thematic review of climate adaptation pathways

Abstract

Climate change is already having adverse impacts, with place- and problem-based implications due to higher temperatures, prolonged droughts, and more frequent extremes. Despite uncertainty about the full extent of future change, adaptation will be required. Adaptation pathways planning is increasingly used as a methodological approach to identify, evaluate, and sequence adaptation options over time. Pathways link critical decisions to future conditions, providing a road map to support planning in the face of uncertainty. This systematic review identifies and assesses the rapidly growing adaptation pathways literature, focusing on its definition, and application in diverse contexts. Using bibliometric and thematic analysis, we highlight scholarly networks driving innovation in this area, characterise theoretical and conceptual differences in framing, and derive insights for best practice. Results show the evolution in interpretation, framing and practice; from an initial focus on managing uncertainty with technological- and engineered-based approaches, through to more participatory, policy- and decision-relevant pathways. Pathways planning has become increasingly collaborative, and is now used to address climate adaptation outcomes, within the broader context of interacting and compounding stressors. Results also highlight challenges in conceptualising and operationalising adaptation pathways, including comprehensive accounting for costs, and navigating social dynamics involved in process development. Based on these findings we propose new avenues for research, to develop methodologies to better engage with stakeholders’ social, political, and economic concerns, and enhance learning for climate adapted futures.

The scientometric analysis and visualization of sustainable procurement

“…It is claimed that the entire aspect of collaboration in scientific studies can be tracked via co-authorship analysis [ 54 ] as such, it is essential to understand and properly integrate how researchers communicate with each other. To therefore increase the productivity and efficacy of research, there must be improved access to targeted resources, tools and a large knowledge base on present scientific collaborative networks [ 55 ]. Concerning the fact that co-authorships are now a formalised methodological approach of intellectual collaboration among scholars for effective study, collaborations are now becoming adopted on a much larger scale concerning the theoretical and methodological complexity of research [ 56 ].…”

Coastal Adaptation Pathways and Tipping Points for Typical Mediterranean Beaches under Future Scenarios

“…The materials considered in this paper are the initial characteristics of the selected coastal archetype [22], the projected evolution rates, the downscaled climate scenarios and, finally, the portfolio of proposed interventions. The main output of the proposed methodology is the set of adaptation pathways [41], the derived risk estimations and the proposal for a more equitable distribution of scarce resources such as sand or coastal accommodation space.…”

“…Adaptation pathways [8,10,41,42] The proposed adaptation, steered by monitoring and maintenance, is based on proactive decisions linked to an EWS in support of new regional environmental and territorial policies, illustrated here by the new CPM plan (Pla de Protecció i Ordenació del Litoral a Catalunya) of the local government (Generalitat de Catalunya). The selected adaptation pathways favor (a) preventive actions that reduce costs and impacts and that apply the precautionary principle, (b) consensus decisions that minimize total costs (environmental, social and political) and provide a clear socioeconomic benefit so that there is social acceptance and (c) evidence-based demonstrations from a set of pilot interventions, in particular NbS, that enable fine-tuning the engineering required by NbS.…”

Trends in Research on Soil Organic Nitrogen over the Past 20 Years

“…"Language" was set to "English". SON and inorganic N are two significant nitrogen (N) forms in the cycling of N within ecosystems [40], acting as either a "source" or a "sink" in environmental N release [41]. It has attracted attention in various research fields.…”

“…As can be seen from Table 1, 27 articles were published in Science of The Total Environment; 26 in Geoderma; 26 in Plants and Soils; 22 in Agricultural Ecosystem Environment; 20 in The Journal of Applied Ecology; 19 in Catena; and 15 in Soil Science Society of America Journal. SON is one of the active components involved in soil nitrogen mineralization and plays an important role in the nitrogen cycle of a soil ecosystem under the disturbance of climate change [41][42][43]. These journals have been publishing the latest research in these areas.…”