Adapting to Climate Change
A new series of briefings

The Institute of Development Studies (IDS), in the UK, is planning a new series of publications on climate change adaptation. The series will draw together and summarise lessons and experience on adaptation and development in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

What will the briefings cover?
Launching in 2009, the briefings will highlight action research and community-based knowledge about climate change adaptation. The first briefings will focus on Africa.

Each issue will concentrate on a particular theme concerning the links between climate change adaptation and development. The articles in each issue will present research and experience that contributes to understanding the issues, constraints and opportunities that will enable people to adapt to climate change and escape poverty.

Who are the briefings for?
The briefings are intended for everyone who needs to know about adaptation at a regional or a local level: for example, civil society organisations, community members, researchers, decision makers, planning departments and other government officials.

What will the format be?
Each briefing will consist of five or six short, policy and practice-focused articles on a particular adaptation issue. The articles will be written in a clear and easy-to-read style so that they can be understood by everyone who needs to know about climate change adaptation, whatever their background and experience. We expect the briefings to be similar in style to id21 insights (see www.id21.org/insights).

How will they be produced?
The briefings will be coordinated and produced by a partner organisation initially in collaboration with IDS. The partner will be responsible for producing each issue: editing articles into the required style and format and coordinating the design, marketing, printing and distribution.

The production of each briefing will involve working closely with a Guest Editor – a recognised expert on the chosen topic. The Guest Editor plays an important role shaping the overall focus of the briefing, writing the editorial and overseeing quality.

How will the briefings help build capacity?
Our aim is to support editors and writers to summarise and simplify research and experience for multiple-target audiences. We are committed to transferring overall editorship and production of the series to a regional partner. This will happen in a phased approach starting after the partner organisation has been identified.

Our vision is for organisations in Africa, Asia and Latin America to produce climate change adaptation briefings independently of IDS support.

How can I get involved?

1. Call for Partner Organisation: Africa
We invite expressions of interest from potential partner organisations in Africa to work with us to produce this series. We are looking for partners who can offer:

• a sound understanding of the issues involved in linking adaptation to development in Africa
• good knowledge of the research on climate change adaptation in Africa
• editors and writers to edit and coordinate the series.
• ambition to host a publication series on climate change adaptation in Africa.
• extensive networks in Africa to support marketing and dissemination of the series.
• willingness to support networks and communities of interest on the chosen topics.

Two-page expressions of interest are invited from suitable organisations by July 1st 2008

2. Call for Guest Editors and Topics: Africa
We are looking for African Guest Editors for the first four publications in this series who:

• are recognised African experts on the chosen topic for the publication
• have excellent contacts and networks with African researchers and other authors able to contribute high quality articles on the topic.
• have experience in editing publications and be willing to work with IDS and the partner organisation to produce one publication in the series.

We invite two-page expressions of interest from potential Guest Editors, including details of your expertise and experience, your idea for a focus topic and list of possible article titles and contributors to the publication. Please send these to us by June 16th 2008.

Example topics are listed below (these are a guide and not indicative of any choices to be made):

• Climate change resilience in African cities
• Gender and climate change adaptation in Africa
• Adapting to the health impacts of climate change in Africa
• Linking conflict prevention and adaptation to climate change
• Adaptation and agricultural growth in Africa

About IDS
IDS has significant experience of research and sharing knowledge on climate change: www.ids.ac.uk/go/browse-by-subject/climate-change

See an example of an issue of ’id21 insights’ on climate change here: www.id21.org/insights/insights71

How to contact us
For more information or to send expressions of interest, please contact:

Robert Nash
id21, Institute of Development Studies
University of Sussex
Brighton BN1 9RE, UK

Tel: +44 1273 606 261
Email: r.nash@ids.ac.uk

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