TY  - JOUR
AU  - Castelo, Sofia
AU  - Ferreira, Filipa
AU  - Amado, Miguel
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/08
TI  - Advancing Urban Climate Adaptation: Lessons from the Malaysia Adaptation Sharing Hub (MASH)
JO  - Advances in Environmental and Engineering Research
SP  - 018
VL  - 07
IS  - 03
AB  - This paper analyses the first cycle of the Malaysia Adaptation Sharing Hub (MASH), an exploratory national knowledge-transfer and climate-adaptation acceleration network developed under the Penang Nature-Based Climate Adaptation Program (PNBCAP), the country’s first urban climate adaptation program. MASH was designed to address the lack of capacity in urban climate adaptation across Malaysian cities, including limited access to localized climate data and challenges in identifying and implementing adaptation measures. Through a structured, three-step framework combining scientific input, community engagement, peer-to-peer exchange, and policy accountability, the network supports local governments in identifying, designing, and committing to concrete adaptation initiatives. As the PNBCAP adopts a nature-based solutions (NbS) approach, these solutions are a particular focus of MASH. Drawing on evidence from the first MASH cycle (2024/2025), including follow-up engagements and online policy-announcement workshops involving ten local councils, this paper documents the types of adaptation initiatives advanced, the conditions enabled by the framework, the persisting barriers to implementation, and finally, the lessons learned. Findings show that structured, in-person, multi-sectoral engagement is effective in building trust, shared understanding, and stakeholder ownership. Follow-up one-on-one sessions are critical for translating dialogue into concrete adaptation initiatives. Cities respond best to practical, implementable tools rather than purely conceptual frameworks, and capacity needs are strongly oriented toward tailored expert support, access to climate finance, and monitoring indicators. However, the translation of commitments to implementation remains uneven. Persistent constraints, particularly in terms of staff capacity, political will, and budgets, limit progress, while leadership changes and institutional barriers disrupt continuity. Community awareness and engagement remain insufficiently addressed, despite their importance for long-term adaptation success. A total of 14 adaptation initiatives were announced, six of them adopting NbS. In addition, three local governments requested admission to the next MASH cycle (2026/2027) and were accepted, indicating growing institutional interest in and perceived value of the framework.
SN  - 2766-6190
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21926/aeer.2603018
DO  - 10.21926/aeer.2603018
ID  - Castelo2026
ER  -