You are here:

What is adaptation?

Adapting to climate change means adapting the way we do things - in all areas of our lives - to respond to the changing circumstances. It means not only protecting against negative impacts, but also making us better able to take advantage of any benefits.

On this page:

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defined adaptation as "any adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities".

The earlier we start adapting, the better equipped we will be to cope with higher temperatures, increased rainfall and the other potential changes. That might mean ensuring homes, buildings and transport links are protected against flooding or heatwaves.

Understanding the risks

We all need to look at our vulnerability to the changing climate. 'Vulnerability' can be defined as being open to or at risk of damage. In terms of climate change, it can be influenced by natural characteristics, the built environment, and socio-economic factors.

A particular change in climate can have a very different effect on different people and places, leading to different risk levels. For example, high temperatures could cause damage to some road surfaces, but not to others due to the different melting point of the material used, and whether the road is mostly in shade due to roadside trees.

The significance of the impact will then depend on whether it is a country road without much traffic, or a major urban trunk road.

Ensuring we have the capacity to reduce any disruption and deal with the remaining consequences can be described as building resilience.

Considering possible adaptation responses

When adapting to climate change, in many cases there will be a number of different possible adaptation options available to a particular organisation at a particular time.

The choice will depend on the costs and benefits of different options, the attitude to risk of the organisation and the information that is available to it.

An organisation might decide at any particular time to:

  • make no change to its operations and behaviour, and accept the possible risks
  • undertake a major change in the way they work to avoid the impact
  • reduce their vulnerability to the impact by changing their behaviour.

Most decisions will be made in the context of other, non-climate related change.

Looking at the bigger picture

The outcome of the adaptation decision is likely to have an impact beyond the organisation that makes it - for example, on suppliers, service users, staff and the natural environment.

This is because of the complex and interconnected nature of systems within our society, the economy and the environment. One particular impact or decision - even a seemingly small one - can lead to a chain of impacts, affecting several different sectors of society.

That's why we need to approach climate change adaptation policy by looking holistically at the systems (ecological and human) that might be affected.

Planning on the basis of good information and understanding of the wider effects of action is likely to lead to more cost effective and sustainable adaptation.

Making adaptation part of everyday decision-making

Adapting to climate change is a process. That's why it needs to be built in to our normal planning and risk management processes, whether in business, government or any other sphere. That way, we can make sustainable adaptation decisions, at the right time and in order to maximise the benefits and minimise the costs.

There are a number of case studies which provide examples of how organisations are tackling adaptation.

Further information about different categorisations of adaptation, tools for planning adaptation, and further case studies can be found on the UKCIP website: www.ukcip.org.uk

Further information

Page last modified: 24 July 2008
Page published: 24 July 2008

You may also be
interested in...

Act on CO2

Documents and
downloads