Monitoring Progress of Adaptation to Climate Change: The Use of Adaptation Metrics

Abstract

Adaption to climate change is critical to minimize the impacts of changing climate. However, owing to the lack of appropriate metrics for adaptation, the progress in adaption has been rather slow compared with the mitigation actions that have clear metrics for greenhouse gas emissions. To develop adaptation metrics, it is critical to consider the fact that adaptation happens at regional, national, and local scales so that the metrics has to be applicable to these levels. In addition, adaptation actions are also often seamlessly integrated with various other developmental actions that make it difficult to identify their impact. Once standardized metrics are established, it has potentials to be utilized to evaluate adaptation projects or to prioritize adaptive policies and measures.