What does success look like? A flaxroots perspective of adaptation

In this short paper we explore climate adaptation ‘success’ through a social & cultural lens. In particular, what does success look like for kainga, communities, and society as a whole? Adaptation brings an array of unprecedented challenges which require adjustments to how decisions are made, who is involved in decisions, and how costs and benefits are allocated. Issues we have to get right include giving effect to Te Tiriti, equity, engagement, identity, security, retreat/relocation, funding, and social and cultural wellbeing. We explore ‘success' in terms of successful processes and successful outcomes and propose key principles to underpin Aotearoa’s adaptation journey.