Pathway to accountability: A strategic framework for evaluating climate adaptation interventions

A key factor contributing to the success of climate adaptation interventions is the use of government-wide strategic evaluation processes that analyze the impacts of the various adaptation interventions used across government departments. There are currently no overarching strategic policies or frameworks for the cross-governmental evaluation of adaptation interventions in Canada. To find a potential solution to this problem, this study analyzes best practices in evaluation design for climate adaptation and government accountability assessments using a mixed-methodology approach. These methodologies are a literature review, theory-based approach, bowtie methodology, and understanding of jurisdictional issues. The findings are used to develop a scalable and replicable Climate Adaptation Accountability Framework that establishes a process governments' can use to evaluate whether they are meeting their adaptation commitments. To contextualize this issue in a pragmatic context, the study is centered on the provincial climate adaptation approaches employed by British Columbia in the transportation infrastructure sector.