Autonomous and Planned Adaptations

This research proposes a 'mixed adaptation' category to replace the traditional dichotomy between autonomous and planned climate adaptation, based on an analysis of 1,682 peer-reviewed articles.

• The research challenges the binary view of climate adaptation as either planned (formal and structured) or autonomous (organic and self-organized), proposing instead a 'mixed adaptation' category that views adaptation as a continuum. This third category captures responses that exhibit characteristics of both autonomous and planned adaptation, accounting for nuances in autonomy, formality, organization, and external support.
• Based on a systematic examination of a global database containing 1,682 peer-reviewed articles on adaptation responses, the study found that more than one-third of the articles discussing these responses fall into the 'mixed adaptation' category across various global regions and sectors.
• The study developed a qualitative typology of mixed adaptation that identifies nine distinct interaction patterns between autonomous and planned adaptation. These interactions can be either positive or negative, and understanding them can help create adaptation strategies that are more equitable, effective, scalable, and locally relevant.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2025). Autonomous and Planned Adaptations. https://www.sei.org/publications/autonomous-and-planned-adaptations/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Autonomous and Planned Adaptations. 2025. https://www.sei.org/publications/autonomous-and-planned-adaptations/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Autonomous and Planned Adaptations |date=26 February 2025 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/autonomous-and-planned-adaptations/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2025autonomous, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Autonomous and Planned Adaptations}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2025}, month = feb, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/autonomous-and-planned-adaptations/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }