Interlinkages between leverage points for strengthening adaptive capacity to climate change

Rosengren, L. (2021). Interlinkages between leverage points for strengthening adaptive capacity to climate change. IIASA YSSP Report. Laxenburg, Austria: IIASA

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Abstract

Systemic leverage points are gaining ground within the socio-ecological systems and sustainability literature. Few studies, however, investigate the role of interlinkages between related leverage points in instigating, amplifying or hindering desired change. The objective of this study was to explore this knowledge gap by studying the interaction between four leverage points for strengthening adaptive capacity: access to finance, access to and use of information and knowledge, social learning and gender equality. The study used a multi-methods approach including semi-structured interviews, a participatory visual art method and a reflection session in a case study in Northern Region of Ghana.
The research found a rich web of interlinkages that we argue play a role beyond this case study in how desired change unravels. First, interlinkages can enable or hinder another leverage point. Second, interlinkages can instigate feedback loops. Third, interlinkages can affect the system in different levels of depth.
These three features of the interlinkages make them highly relevant for transformation and sustainability science that also hold relevance in policy and intervention planning.

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