Successful community-based adaptation in Indonesia and Timor-Leste

Emerging governance features for successful Community-Based Adaptation in Indonesia and Timor-Leste: What works and why?

Community-Based Adaptation (CBA) interventions are a growing trend in international development policy and are now regularly applied by researchers, practitioners and donor agencies working in the climate change adaptation space. However, ongoing experience with CBA indicates that such interventions are short lived and are difficult to sustain beyond project life cycles. This thesis examines the extent to which emerging governance approaches may be useful in delivering more durable and sustainable CBA interventions. In this seminar, I present research on governance features that were observed in two CBA programmes recently implemented in Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Both programmes were funded by the Australian Government and aimed to support rural and remote communities adapt to future climate change impacts. I will discuss the role of governance at different scales and how it may contribute to more successful CBA. I will conclude by highlighting the implications emerging governance approaches may have on rural communities in a developing nation context and how these implications may be addressed.

About the speaker

Hannah is a PhD Scholar at the Fenner School of Environment and Society, at the Australian National University. Hannah holds a BSc (Hons) and a MSc (Hons), both from The University of Auckland, New Zealand. Hannah also currently works as a research assistant for a consultancy that specialises in the fields of international development, natural resource conservation and climate change adaptation.