As Europe warms twice as fast as the rest of the world, our cities—where 75% of Europeans live—face mounting climate risks. But are adaptation plans keeping pace?
A new study in Nature Climate Change finds that 70% of adaptation plans contain critical inconsistencies, particularly when it comes to addressing the needs of vulnerable populations.
🔍 Key findings:
1) 49% of climate adaptation measures (across sectors) are proposed without referring to assessed local risks, i.e., measures are planned without local contextualization.
2) Only 1% of plans involve vulnerable groups in their development.
3) Social equity is largely overlooked, especially in newer adaptation plans.
The research introduces a powerful framework for assessing the internal consistency of adaptation plans—highlighting the urgent need to align goals, risks, actions, and participation.
📢 The message is clear: Having a plan is not enough. Without coherence, inclusion, and evidence-based strategies, cities risk falling into the adaptation gap—where intentions don’t translate into impact.
Access the full paper and/or download its read-only version.
Read the Guest Post in Carbon Brief and other media appearances (on stadszaken, klimaatweb, tubantia, lokaalbestuur)
