Climate change adaptation status of Turkish local governments: A comparative analysis

Source abstract

As the impacts of climate change intensify, local governments around the world are increasingly recognizing the need for adaptation strategies and actions tailored to their contexts. However, few studies exist on local climate adaptation in developing economies, where adaptation is an urgent and vital need. In this paper, we aim to analyse the adaptation status of Turkish local governments along the dimensions regarding policy implementation, resource allocation, institutional capacity, and social and physical aspects. For this purpose, we designed and conducted a survey on the adaptation status of metropolitan, provincial and district municipalities, and examined documents on national and local climate policy and action. Results show that certain municipalities have made significant progress in adopting and implementing adaptation measures. However, several barriers persist, including a lack of technical expertise in risk assessment and hazard monitoring, inadequate infrastructure projects and training programs and a shortage of trained experts and technical staff. Our analysis draws on an indicator-based assessment framework to analyse how municipalities navigate climate challenges. By synthesizing empirical evidence and this theoretical framework the paper contributes to a better understanding of local climate adaptation, offering insights that can support municipalities in devising effective adaptation strategies by building on their strengths and addressing their weaknesses.