Adaptation to climate change and participatory action research (PAR): lessons from municipalities in Quebec, Canada

Abstract

In Canada, coastal communities such as many other communities in the world are facing the impacts of climate change. This chapter examines the role of participatory action research (PAR) as a tool for enhancing governance capacity of communities that are trying to develop and implement adaptation strategies to climate change. It first introduces coastal communities facing climate change, and the concepts of governance and social ecological system (SES). The chapter then discusses the idea of community-based activities such as PAR to identify adaptation solutions, and the aspects of governance that should be integrated into the concept of coastal SES. Moreover, it describes through a case study the potential of PAR in achieving this goal by improving resilience through governance in coastal SESs. Finally, the chapter discusses the conditions, the barriers, and the lessons learned from the case study to ensure a successful process.