Welcome to the Discussion Forum on Local Institutions and Adaptation to Climate Change. This Forum aims to investigate the ways in which more vulnerable populations can cope with and adapt to climate change, and the role of local institutions in enhancing their capacity to do so.

We invite you to respond to discussion questions and help the World Bank shape a program of action and collaboration around climate adaptation and rural livelihoods. More than 1,000 participants are being invited to this event from over 650 institutions, including different departments at the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research, World Resources Institute, Stockholm Environment Institute, United Nations Environment Program, United Nations Development Program and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

A Framework discussion paper has been prepared to stimulate the on-line discussion among participants. Bio of author Arun Agrawal.

Five prominent specialists in the field (see Commentaries below) have provided their responses to and comments on the framework to provide further material for discussion.

Key Questions have been proposed to encourage your inputs on specific themes.

An Open Forum has been created for your comments and suggestions on critical areas for research and intervention on institutions that need to be supported in relation to rural livelihoods and climate change. Please post your contribution or references to websites, organizations, projects related to climate change adaptation and rural institutions.

Commentaries on the paper from leading experts in the field Neil Adger (School of Environmental Sciences. University of East Anglia. Editor of Global Environmental Change) Benjamin Orlove (UCDavis. Editor of the Current Anthropology Journal) Maria Lemos (University of Michigan) Chasca Twyman (University of Sheffield) Jacques Faye (Cooperation Senegal/Suisse- Senegal) French    English

Discussion Forum Please click on a question below to join the conversation on rural institutions and climate change. Key Questions: How can local institutions support local adaptation practices across communities? What are the limits to adaptation to climate change through rural institutions? Is climate risk adaptation also simply good development? What should be the key priorities of aid organizations when providing support for climate adaptation? What can aid organizations learn from rural households' historical efforts to cope with environmental risks? How can aid interventions best facilitate improved adaptive capacity of the poor? What are the likely implications of climate change for the functioning of rural institutions? Can existing local institutions be strengthened to serve new objectives related to the reinforcement of adaptive practices, eg to enhance participation, democratic local governance, and accountability? How can the relationship between rural institutions and adaptation practices be identified and stated more precisely? What inputs can external interventions channel to rural areas to enhance adaptive capacity, and how can these interventions and inputs be linked more explicitly and effectively to the way rural institutions function?