Climate risk screening of development portfolios and programmes

Abstract

Development actors are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of climate-related shocks and stresses on their activities. Accordingly, tools and methods are emerging to support decision-making to integrate climate adaptation concerns within poverty reduction plans, programmes and projects. These provide information and guidance to help assess risks and prioritise corresponding actions to enhance adaptation and disaster risk reduction. This article examines the use of climate adaptation decision tools for development, placing the range of tools and information platforms within the context of different adaptation approaches. It uses the case study of the ORCHID climate risk screening methodology to highlight the challenges and opportunities of integrating adaptation and disaster risk reduction into development cooperation. The article concludes that a focus on climate science rather than social vulnerability tends to support the conception of 'adaptation as output' rather than of 'adaptation as process', which the article argues is necessary for pro-poor outcomes. © Institute of Development Studies.