Climate Change Adaptation in the Tropics

The tropics are ground zero for the climate crisis, but they are woefully underrepresented in the record of climate scholarship. This part of the world is home to the most biodiverse ecosystems and a third of the world’s population and suffers at its core — the paradox of where those who have contributed least to emissions now face the most intensive impacts of climate change: collapsing coral reefs, vector-borne diseases, and the threat of unprecedented humid heat. This book fills a gap in understanding these problems through the tropical lens which is the main focus. Its importance lies in how it goes against the temperate-centric framing of climate, change, presenting instead a more complex picture of the links between rising temperatures and vulnerabilities already seen in the developing world. By combining state of the art science with frontline adaptation strategies, including indigenous knowledge systems, the volume makes the case that researchers, policymakers and practitioners need to craft effective interventions, so as to assist countries in the tropics to handle the many challenges climate change poses to them.