Vol.:(0123456789) Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-021-09988-9 1 3 ORIGINAL ARTICLE A multi‑stakeholder participatory methodology to facilitate socio‑ecological climate change vulnerability–adaptation–resilience strategies: application of the Q Method Miriam Alfe‑Cohen 1  · Flor Yunuen Garcia‑Becerra 2 Received: 23 December 2020 / Accepted: 15 December 2021 © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2021 Abstract Peri-urban spaces are critical components of urban systems and highly vulnerable to cli- mate change (CC). Viable adaptation strategies for these spaces should consider the interconnectedness between cities and their peri-urbanities, and their vulnerability–adap- tation–resilience dynamics, which emphasizes understanding their state of accumulative vulnerability, beyond the environmental realm. Further, the successful implementation of adaptation measures requires multi-stakeholder participation. Thus, peri-urbanities need to actively incorporate their perceptions during the development of such interventions. This work aims at establishing the preferences at both the individual and community level in a peri-urban area during the identifcation of its vulnerability–adaptation–resilience dynamics. This approach was applied to a peri-urbanity in Northwestern Mexico under a multi-decade drought. The Q Method was utilized to understand the community’s pri- orities regarding CC adaptations. The fndings were discussed between academics, local government ofcials, and the community and then used to outline a strategy that would empower locals to implement a priority-based plan. It is suggested that this plan include green infrastructure, household water and energy savings, comprehensive waste manage- ment, and local food production. These fndings could be used as reference to create local adaptation–resilience eforts in other drought-prone peri-urban spaces with similar vulner- ability–adaptation–resilience dynamics. Keywords Peri-urban community · Climate change · Resilient adaptation · Environmental economy · Ecological engineering · Side-by-side decision-making * Flor Yunuen Garcia-Becerra june.garcia-becerra@unbc.ca 1 Department of Social Sciences, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Cuajimalpa (Metropolitan Autonomous University, Cuajimalpa Campus), Mexico City, Mexico 2 School of Engineering, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada