A framework for stakeholder engagement on climate adaptation

The CSIRO Climate Adaptation National Research Flagship was created to address the urgent national challenge of enabling Australia to adapt more effectively to the impacts of climate change and variability. This paper is part of a working paper series aiming to:

• provide a quick and simple avenue to disseminate high-quality original research, based on work in progress;
• generate discussion by distributing work for comment prior to formal publication.

This paper describes the results of the project was designed to inform CSIRO’s Climate Adaptation Flagship (CAF) about best practice methods for engaging with stakeholders on the issue of climate adaptation. More specifically, the project had four goals, which were to:

1. understand what nature and degree of engagement is required by different stakeholders;
2. identify what sorts of information stakeholders need in order to make these decisions;
3. work towards the development of a protocol for modes of engagement;
4. develop a framework for monitoring the success of our communication, engagement and research.

The evidence gathered within the project presents best practice for climate adaptation engagement, and is summarised in a series of recommendations.