Rethinking Resilience (How to Help People Adapt to Climate Change)

In development discussions, resilience to climate change is often framed in defensive and reactive terms, focusing on top-down measures that treat individuals as passive victims unable to anticipate or protect themselves from shocks. This report addresses a critical aspect that this narrow approach overlooks: the capacity of firms, farms, and households to prepare for, recover from, and adapt to disruptions. True resilience is about enabling people to take proactive measures--preparing for disruptions, recovering from shocks, and adapting to changing circumstances. However, this requires access to the right tools and resources, such as financial means, actionable information, insurance, and credit. When these are lacking, communities are left vulnerable. This report proposes policies that can help bridge this gap. Addressing this challenge requires a change in perspective: moving from reactive defense to proactive empowerment. This approach recognizes people as agents of change, capable of anticipating risks and acting on them when provided with the necessary tools. With adequate resources and better access to climate and weather information, individuals can assess risks, make informed decisions, and seize opportunities to invest in new skills, expand businesses, or relocate to safer environments offering better prospects.