Overcoming barriers to urban adaptation through international cooperation? Modes and design properties under the UNFCCC

This study examines by which design properties international cooperation can effectively facilitate specific climate adaptation processes at the local level. First, a qualitative meta-analysis of empirical evidence from 23 cases is conducted to identify archetypal patterns of barriers and change factors for climate adaptation in urban squatter settlements and in municipal public sectors in low- and middleincome countries. Second, five modes of international cooperation for climate adaptation are characterized based on UNFCCC documents, process observation and literature review. Third, these results are combined to derive testable propositions about how selected design properties of international cooperation can facilitate local efforts to overcome barriers to urban adaptation in lowand middle-income countries. Findings indicate, first, that a major step to tackle adaptation barriers in squatter settlements is improvements of the status of urban poor in the public sector. Second, national or regional centres of competence are means to foster endogenous dynamics in municipal public sectors. Third, national adaptation policies are arrangements to enable and incentivise municipal adaptation. Fourth, flexible indicators of adaptation benefits are instruments to target international decision making and monitoring systems to local needs. It is finally discussed how these insights and methods can be used to advance the study of international cooperation, barriers and success factors for climate change adaptation.