Adaptation types
Adaptation can be classified by the nature of the driver:
- Anticipatory adaptation – takes place before impacts of climate change are observed. Also known as proactive adaptation.
- Autonomous adaptation – is triggered by changes in natural systems, and by market or welfare changes in human systems. Also known as spontaneous adaptation.
- Planned adaptation – a deliberate policy decision, based on an awareness of changing conditions and understanding that action is required.
It can also be categorised as measures and strategies that contribute either to:
- Building adaptive capacity – creating the information (research, data collecting and monitoring, awareness raising), supportive social structures (organisational development, working in partnership, institutions), and supportive governance (regulations, legislations, and guidance) that are needed as a foundation for delivering adaptation actions; or
- Delivering adaptation actions – actions that help to reduce vulnerability to climate risks, or to exploit opportunities.
Building adaptive capacity is fundamental to delivering responsive adaptation actions. Many organisations have begun building adaptive capacity through:
- Understanding the nature of the issue and risks
- Identifying and engaging the community/players
- Assessing the situation (risks and thresholds) and likely adaptive responses.
Delivering adaptation actions requires reflection on the purpose and feasibility of adaptation. Adaptation is usually required because of inadequacies in coping with existing or projected climate risks or a will to exploit climatic opportunities. These adaptation actions and strategies are usually described as:
Living with and bearing losses or risks – accepting that pre-impact systems, behaviours and activities are no longer sustainable.
Preventing effects or reducing exposure to risks – either relocating, changing what is exposed, or building climatic resilience to allow pre-impact activities to continue. It also includes eliminating exposure to risks by changing to a different use. Building resilience, however, does include living with risk by reducing the consequences of impacts and assisting recovery following exposure. Better preparedness and contingency planning can also prevent the effects of, or reduce exposure to risks.
Sharing responsibility for any losses or risks – reducing losses or exposure to risk by use of insurance, sharing the costs of adaptive responses, and relief efforts.
Exploiting opportunities – changing use or location to exploit opportunities, and increasing the organisation’s capacity to manage opportunities as a result of the changing climate. This includes taking advantage of more favourable conditions for existing products or activities as well as introducing new lines.
In practice, adaptation involves a mixture of response strategies:
- Building climatic resilience (e.g. enhanced design specifications)
- Living with risks (e.g. increased preparedness and contingency planning)
- Acceptance of loss (e.g. accepting occasional losses or reductions in quality).
Each case will use a different combination of strategies according to the risk aversion, values and capacity of the organisation, and may include measures that exploit opportunities, e.g. relocating a business and introducing new activities to the vulnerable location.
Long-term investments (e.g. infrastructure, buildings, forest plantations etc.) need to build in flexibility and resilience to cope with the projected changes in climate. Planning the introduction of adaptation measures to coincide with other maintenance or upgrading, or taking advantage of unscheduled breakdowns reduces the costs and potential disruption.
