Examination of barriers to climate change adaptation: Experience from Semarang city, –Indonesia

Various studies have been conducted on the barriers to climate change adaptation in specific contexts, but they often focus only on particular sectors. This research aims to comprehensively assess the barriers to climate change adaptation across various stakeholder sectors at the city level. The case study in Semarang City is expected to provide insights for other cities, given that Semarang has extensive experiences in implementing climate change adaptation measures in Indonesia. The assessment of barriers is conducted through Focus Group Discussions and validated through in-depth interviews with relevant stakeholders in Semarang City. Our findings indicate that sectors prioritizing water, coastal, and marine resources face lower barriers and challenges compared to non-priority sectors such as agriculture, health, and other related sectors. The highest barrier in non-priority sectors is the limited funding for climate change adaptation, as it is not prioritized or mandated. Meanwhile, the highest barrier in priority sectors is the lack of participation and concern from local communities regarding climate change programs. A transdisciplinary approach is offered to ensure mutual learning and knowledge exchange among various stakeholders to generate innovative, comprehensive, and sustainable climate change adaptation initiatives. Semarang’s experience in forming a "City Team" as a platform for exchanging ideas and knowledge provides evidence that such approach can be operationally viable.