About the Project

The Rapid Climate Change Project was a one year scoping study, designed to develop and test a theoretical and methodological framework for understanding the capacity of organisations and networks in the rural sector to adapt to unexpected stressors such as rapid climate change.

The aim was not to undertake a full assessment of adaptive capacity in the rural sector, nor to advance the physical science of climate change. Instead the project was designed to develop an understanding of the likely responses to rapid warming of the UK climate in order to highlight good questions to ask about the rural sector's ability to cope with unexpected change.

The research team focused on the interplay between formal and informal institutions, and the interpersonal dynamics from which organisational life emerges.

After an extensive literature review and field work with farmer's groups, delivery agencies and policy organisations, the project is now complete.

A number of project documents  are available, and the research team welcome contact from interested parties with comments and critique.