Climate change adaptation is an urgent, yet insufficiently funded priority for poor communities who are already exposed to existing climatic and non-climatic stresses. Community-based adaptation (CBA) can utilise the opportunities and experiences provided by non-climate initiatives that have enabled these communities to deal with other stresses, and in so doing, have established capacity, institutions and models for communities to deal with a range of stresses with minimum outside support. In southern Africa, community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) has used an incentive-led approach to revolutionise conservation and development by devolving responsibility.