As climate change continues to pose serious risks worldwide, experts at the ECI say countries must develop clearer, more practical plans to protect vulnerable communities and sectors from its impacts.
While many nations have created National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) outlining how to address climate risks, the quality and focus of these plans vary widely. Often, there is a gap between the goals set in these plans and the actual projects that receive funding. Researchers stress the importance of strategies that clearly identify key risks, associated costs, and necessary policy changes to reduce vulnerability effectively.
The study, Climate adaptation finance: From paper commitments to climate risk reduction, has been published as a Policy Forum article in Science.
Co-author Professor Jim Hall, Director of the Oxford Programme for Sustainable Infrastructure Systems (OPSIS) at the ECI and Professor of Climate and Environmental Risks at the University of Oxford said:
A coordinated national approach is essential, one that links overarching adaptation strategies with sector-specific efforts in areas like water, agriculture, energy, and transportation.”
Prof Hall carried out the study alongside Dr Jasper Verschuur, Honorary Research Associate at the ECI and Assistant Professor in Engineering Systems and Climate Security at Delft University of Technology, and Prof Nicola Ranger, Director of the Resilient Planet Finance Lab at the ECI and also Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics.
The researchers say local initiatives also play a critical role; for example, Bangladesh is establishing regional hubs to implement community-level projects and monitor progress.
Financing remains a major challenge. Adaptation plans need realistic budgets and fiscal strategies that prioritise investments and use financial tools such as insurance to manage risks. Integrating financial impact assessments into climate planning can help countries better prepare for future shocks.
Another challenge is ensuring that adaptation projects are carefully designed and prioritised based on clear cost-benefit analysis. This helps ensure funds are directed toward the most effective and sustainable solutions and considers both risk reduction and additional benefits like carbon capture or job creation.
The researchers also highlight the need for better monitoring of adaptation outcomes to track progress, evaluate impacts, and inform future decisions. Advances in technology, such as remote sensing and high-frequency surveys, can support these efforts.
Building capacity within governments, communities, and sectors is key to making adaptation plans work in the long term. This requires investment in skilled people and global scientific research to provide up-to-date information on risks and solutions.
The experts stress that while capacity building is ongoing, urgent action is needed now. Investments currently underway must be made climate-resilient to avoid costly damage later. Using existing tools and knowledge to move forward quickly is critical as climate risks grow.
Read the full study in Science, Policy Forum: Climate adaptation finance: From paper commitments to climate risk reduction