Publications


Land degradation, desertification and climate change: Anticipating, assessing and adapting to future change

Book by Mark Reed, Lindsay Stringer on 26 Apr 2016

Although much is known about the processes and effects of land degradation and climate change, little is understood about the links between them. Less still is known about how these processes are likely to interact in different social-ecological systems around the world, or how societies might be able to adapt to this twin challenge. This […]


Letter to Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP

Policy publication by Bob Ward on 22 Apr 2016

Letter to the Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office, in relation to the exemption for universities and research institutes from the UK Government’s new ‘anti-lobbying’ clause.



“Proximising” climate change reconsidered: A construal level theory perspective

Research article by Suraje Dessai on 15 Apr 2016

Abstract Reducing the psychological distance of climate change has repeatedly been proposed as one strategy to increase individuals’ motivation to respond to climate change. From the perspective of construal level theory, decreasing psychological distance should not itself influence people’s willingness to act but change the processes that underlie individual decision-making. We conducted two experiments in […]





Evidence and perceptions of rainfall change in Malawi: Do maize cultivar choices enhance climate change adaptation in sub-Saharan Africa?

Research article by Chloe Sutcliffe, Andy Dougill, Claire Quinn on 1 Apr 2016

Getting farmers to adopt new cultivars with greater tolerance for coping with climatic extremes and variability is considered as one way of adapting agricultural production to climate change. However, for successful adaptation to occur, an accurate recognition and understanding of the climate signal by key stakeholders (farmers, seed suppliers and agricultural extension services) is an essential […]


Is co-producing science for adaptation decision-making a risk worth taking?

Working paper by Suraje Dessai on 31 Mar 2016

Over the last decade, researchers have repeatedly sought to understand why adaptation planning and decision-making have failed to progress as quickly as once hoped. A major concern is that policy paralysis and inaction have arisen due to practical difficulties of delivering climate science that can actually be used for adaptation decision-making. Non-scientific actors are increasingly […]