Climate Policy

Climate Policy 5 (2005) 329–348

Post-2012 climate action in the broad framework of sustainable development policies: the role of the EU

Petra Tschakert and Lennart Olsson

Received 27 January 2005 ; received in revised form 11 March 2005 ; accepted 11 March 2005

The linkages between climate change and sustainable development are multiple and profound. Nonetheless, their respective policy regimes have so far evolved along parallel, if not competing, paths. What is lacking to date is a detailed conceptual understanding of the practicability of their integration through cross-sectoral policies and programmes. We propose a synergistic adaptive capacity (SAC) framework that places adaptive capacity and equity at the centre of current policy debates. This framework, based on social vulnerability as a linking element between climate change adaptation and poverty reduction, goes beyond current attempts to ‘mainstream’ adaptation and mitigation into national development priorities. We outline guidelines on how to operationalize the SAC framework and, at the end, define the role of the EU in promoting and implementing these synergies within the post-2012 climate policy regime.

Keywords: Climate change; Sustainable development; EU post-2012 policies; Synergistic adaptive capacity; Social vulnerability

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