Advancing Stakeholder Engagement in Climate Adaptation

This research paper, produced as part of the EU-funded Adaptation AGORA project, examines stakeholder engagement in climate adaptation. It identifies a disconnect where recognized operational enablers are undermined by structural institutional and social barriers, resulting in a narrow range of passive engagement practices. The paper argues that advancing engagement requires addressing systemic constraints in governance, resources, and capacity rather than relying solely on operational guidelines.

• An adaptation implementation gap exists where the translation of climate change policies into action is hindered by organizational, cultural, financial, and administrative challenges.
• Current stakeholder engagement in climate adaptation is limited and narrow, often restricted to passive approaches and specific sectors, phases of the adaptation cycle, or solutions. This is because structural social and institutional barriers regarding capacity, resources, and governance frequently undermine operational enablers.
• To improve engagement, it is necessary to move beyond operational guidelines to address systemic constraints. Key enablers for change include diversifying engagement methods, embedding mandates across sectors, empowering citizens, and strengthening the resources and capacity of local institutions through trust-building, economic resources, and knowledge dissemination.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2026). Advancing Stakeholder Engagement in Climate Adaptation. https://www.sei.org/publications/advancing-stakeholder-engagement-climate-adaptation/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Advancing Stakeholder Engagement in Climate Adaptation. 2026. https://www.sei.org/publications/advancing-stakeholder-engagement-climate-adaptation/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Advancing Stakeholder Engagement in Climate Adaptation |date=23 July 2026 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/advancing-stakeholder-engagement-climate-adaptation/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2026advancing, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Advancing Stakeholder Engagement in Climate Adaptation}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2026}, month = jul, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/advancing-stakeholder-engagement-climate-adaptation/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }