Effective climate change adaptation in developing countries requires context-specific, inclusive, and scalable strategies that respond to both environmental vulnerabilities and socio-economic realities. One of the most promising approaches is the integration of adaptation into existing development planning frameworks. This includes embedding climate resilience into sectors such as agriculture, water, and infrastructure, ensuring that adaptive capacity is built systematically and not in isolation.

Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), such as mangrove reforestation, sustainable agroforestry, and watershed protection, offer cost-effective and ecologically sustainable responses to climate threats. These ecosystem-based strategies have proven especially beneficial when co-designed with local communities, as they not only mitigate risk but also support livelihoods and preserve biodiversity.

Critically, recent findings from a needs assessment in Sangsang Village, East Kalimantan, revealed that climate resilience cannot be achieved without addressing social pillars such as environmental literacy, food security, and water management (Situmorang & Santoso, 2025). The study identified that 78% of households lack access to adaptive agricultural techniques, while over 60% expressed uncertainty about water availability during prolonged droughts. These insights highlight the necessity for community-based adaptation (CBA), where local knowledge, participatory planning, and decentralised implementation are the foundation of effective climate strategies.

Therefore, developing countries must prioritise localised and inclusive adaptation frameworks that integrate environmental, social, and governance dimensions. As Sangsang demonstrates, aligning national policies with community-driven needs is key to building long-term resilience and sustainable development.

Ihsan Radhe Hassuny

Developing countries can effectively adapt to climate change impacts through a combination of strategies including ecosystem restoration, building climate-resilient infrastructure, and focusing on food security. Specifically, this involves planting drought-resistant crops, improving irrigation, diversifying income sources, and strengthening early warning systems for climate-related hazards.

Thanks!

From my perspective in the picturesque and frequently rain-drenched hills of Northeast India, it is evident that for developing nations like ours to effectively adapt to the changing climate, we must prioritize our communities and distinctive natural environment in every strategic plan. I firmly contend that top-down solutions alone are insufficient; we must heed the established wisdom present in our local agricultural practices, which have sustained us for generations, our traditional methods of managing forests and water resources such as our essential springs, and the robust community ties that enable us to endure adversity. For us, nature-based solutions are not merely a trend; they constitute our lifestyle—safeguarding our woods entails safeguarding our water, soil, and biodiversity, all of which face significant threats. We require measures to assist our farmers, who are heavily reliant on seasonal patterns, in adopting crops that can more effectively withstand unpredictable rainfall or prolonged droughts, and we must optimize water usage, maybe through more extensive community-managed rainwater gathering initiatives. Although robust government policies and access to climate finance are crucial supports, and it is imperative that our infrastructure is constructed to endure more severe weather, I believe true resilience will stem from empowering local communities to recognize their own vulnerabilities and spearhead their adaptation initiatives, integrating their invaluable traditional knowledge with innovative, practical technologies. I believe that this grassroots, nature-respecting methodology has the greatest potential for our community and our delicate, invaluable region of the earth.

Developing countries can adapt to climate change through ecosystem-based adaptation, early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, community-based resource management, financial mechanisms like insurance and climate funds, and incorporating climate into development planning.