How To Resource Climate Adaptation

Sept 2024: We need lots of resource to support community-led climate adaptation, with few experienced professionals. We have loads of experienced placemaking professionals, many of whom are under-employed…

I find myself banging a drum once again to get more experienced placemaking professionals involved in climate adaptation.

I just finished producing a set of resources for Community-led Climate Adaptation. My most recent previous work was producing a set of resources for Community-led Placemaking for a different team in the same District.

Throughout, I was struck by similarities more than differences. I’m certainly not the only one in Aotearoa with the transferable skills to work in both placemaking and climate adaptation.

I’ve just been comparing, side by side, the Principles for Adaptation Action from Aotearoa New Zealand’s first national adaptation plan with Project for Public Spaces' Eleven Principles for Creating Great Community Places from their placemaking handbook.

• The Community Is The Expert.

• Adjust As We Go.

• Maximise Co-Benefits.

• You Can’t Do It Alone.

• Have A Vision.

• You Are Never Finished.

• Promote Equity.

• Be Proactive.

Can you tell which is which?

Four of those are Principles for Adaptation Action, four are Placemaking Principles.

We have a wealth of professionals with decades of placemaking experience and, in Aotearoa, an array of community climate adaptation programmes just launching or less than a couple years old.

Let's connect the dots!