This paper reports on the first phase of a project examining issues of sustainable livelihoods and climate change adaptation. Achievements include:the establishment of an institutional platform for bringing together the fields of disaster risk reduction, climate change action and poverty reductionthe development of a theoretical basis for promoting Ecosystem management and restoration (EM&R) / sustainable livelihoods (SL) activities as climate change adaptation measuresa growing portfolio of SL / EM&R projects that reducing community vulnerability to climate hazardslessons-learned on how to support the implementation of vulnerability-reducing projects in different communitiesa network of institutions interested and/or involved in SL / EM&R approaches to climate change adaptation.Phase 2 of the project will include activities for developing decision-making toolkits on adaptation, implementing these toolkits in different contexts, and continuing their outreach and communications strategy. Combined, these activities will seek to expand constituencies and operational capacities for adopting an integrated approach to climate change adaptation based on the livelihoods of the poorest and most vulnerable communities around the world. [adapted from author]