The need for adaptation is urgently growing as the climate crisis unfolds and worsens. To accompany the launch of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Adaptation Gap Report 2023, listen to this collection of 11 case studies which spotlight the challenges facing humanity and the adaptation solutions that can help address the problem.
These cases span regions, sectors and climates, echoing the critical need for adaptation. From droughts and floods to thawing cryospheres, from agriculture to cities, these stories encompass the spectrum of climate challenges that our warming world poses.
The case studies are not only accounts of the impacts of the climate crisis, but examples of resilience and adaptation. They show the power of adaptation in safeguarding communities, ecosystems and economies. The climate crisis affects everyone, and the case studies emphasize the need for diverse solutions.
Adaptation finance: Mobilizing the private sector
Current flows of climate finance for adaptation fall short of what is required.
However, efficiently using public funds and addressing market imperfections can facilitate much-needed private sector investment.
Companies and impact investors with a shared interest in climate adaptation investment have come together to raise US$2 million while providing experience in identifying, developing and financing adaptation projects. Read more
Health-related loss and damage: Lessons from the Caribbean
Climate-related health risks are escalating rapidly worldwide. Without effective adaptation, health-care infrastructure is at risk of collapse due to increased demand caused by climate disasters such as heatwaves, floods and wildfires.
Adaptation solutions in health require scaled-up efforts on all levels.
In the Caribbean, the regional implementation of food and water safety plans, climate-related health bulletins and climate-integrated early warning systems for health has improved livelihoods and strengthened climate resilience. Read more
Gender-responsive adaptation: Health insurance for women in Senegal
The climate crisis affects everyone differently. Gender-responsive adaptation planning is key to addressing disparities in the responses.
In northern Senegal, consultations with women’s organizations have enabled women farmers to access health insurance. Continued collaboration can pave the way for tailored solutions for gender mainstreaming in adaptation. Read more
Mountains in silent thaw: The disappearing frozen heartbeat of our Earth
The mountain cryosphere is melting due to the climate crisis, causing significant economic and social consequences for billions of people.
Natural water storages are shrinking, leading to increased flooding, erosion and water scarcity. This damages infrastructure and disrupts water supplies for agriculture, drinking and energy generation.
Adaptation success hinges on engaging and empowering local communities in collaborative action. Local and traditional knowledge is critical for establishing tailored solutions and promoting resilience, equity, and sustainability in the face of changing cryosphere conditions. Read more
Navigating climate risks: San Pedro Sula’s path to a resilient future
The climate crisis is exacerbating risks and creating new challenges for cities worldwide. Cities need to adapt to changing rainfall patterns, floods and storms despite often having limited access to information.
In Honduras, authorities assessed 20 adaptation measures in a framework that gave San Pedro Sula concrete information to proactively confront climate risks, significantly improving its ability to reduce these threats. Read more
Transboundary adaptation: Local and regional benefits in the Middle East
The impacts of the changing climate are already being felt by communities across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. As a result of the climate crisis, droughts – a historical feature of this regional climate – are becoming more frequent and increasingly severe. Scaling up land restoration via a cooperative and inclusive transboundary approach could help communities to adapt, while delivering both environmental and socioeconomic co-benefits at the local and regional level. Read more
Ecosystem-based adaptation: Rice farming in Cambodia and Madagascar
Rice production and rain-fed agriculture is under immense pressure from shifting rainfall patterns, unpredictable temperatures and extreme weather events.
More resilience to erratic rainfall, drought, temperature conditions and other climate hazards is urgently needed.
Cambodia and Madagascar, two countries heavily reliant on rice cultivation for food security and economic stability, are benefiting from a holistic strategy for implementing integrated adaptation measures. This approach shows how ecosystem-based adaptation can strengthen the resilience of the rice subsector and vulnerable farmers. Read more
Closing weather and climate data gaps: Enabling effective adaptation in Bhutan
Early warning systems are cost-effective means of adaptation. But they are only as reliable as the data they are built on, and gaps in weather and climate data undermine effective adaptation in many countries.
Bhutan is narrowing the data gap by restoring weather stations and building country knowledge and experience. This not only boosts local early warning systems, but also amplifies the accuracy and depth of global datasets. Read more
Transformative adaptation and human mobility: Planned relocation in Fiji
Sea-level rise and extreme weather events are causing unavoidable loss and damage, threatening the existence of coastal communities.
Fiji has established Planned Relocation Guidelines, which provide a detailed blueprint for relocation grounded in analysis and community consent. The guidelines help preserve traditional life while enabling continued economic growth, infrastructure development and enhanced resilience. Read more
The Pacific heat dome: Heatwave lessons from the United States
Increasing exposure to extreme heat leads to significant impacts on morbidity and mortality around the globe. However, deaths related to extreme heatwaves are all potentially preventable – and adaptation is urgently needed.
In the United States, an extreme heatwave caught Seattle off guard in 2021, leading to severe health consequences. Yet the circumstances and effects were highly predictable, highlighting that projected increases in heat events have to be translated into adaptation that protects vulnerable populations. Read more
Cascading impacts and floods: Building adaptive capacity in Pakistan
The cascading impacts of the climate crisis, with increasing frequency, scale and magnitude, means that the window to build back gets smaller and smaller with each climate disaster.
In Pakistan, the cascading impacts of disasters have caused significant loss of life and reversed development gains. To respond to the impacts of the climate crisis, the country must understand, identify and attribute cascading effects to specific climate shocks and stressors. This will help it develop ways to build adaptive capacity and resilience. Read more
