Disconnect between planned and autonomous adaptation

This research paper argues that current climate adaptation research overemphasizes planned, public policy-driven adaptation while neglecting autonomous, 'everyday' societal responses. The author proposes an integrated approach that treats adaptation as a commons issue to analyze the synergies and conflicts between these two forms of adaptation, specifically focusing on outcomes related to climate justice and equality.

• Current academic and research focus is heavily skewed toward planned adaptation—defined as governed strategies and measures from municipal or national authorities—which often overlooks the ubiquitous nature of autonomous, ungoverned societal responses to climate change.
• Failure to consider the social dimension and the relationship between autonomous and planned adaptation can lead to a lack of understanding regarding whether these actions are synergistic or conflicting, potentially resulting in outcomes that are unequal, unjust, or maladaptive.
• The paper proposes breaking down the dichotomy between planned and autonomous adaptation by treating adaptation as a commons issue and integrating existing frameworks. This approach, when focused on climate justice dimensions, helps identify the institutions and actions that promote justice and equality, using examples from urban dwellers and farmers.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2022). Disconnect between planned and autonomous adaptation. https://www.sei.org/publications/disconnect-between-planned-and-autonomous-adaptation/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Disconnect between planned and autonomous adaptation. 2022. https://www.sei.org/publications/disconnect-between-planned-and-autonomous-adaptation/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Disconnect between planned and autonomous adaptation |date=28 December 2022 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/disconnect-between-planned-and-autonomous-adaptation/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2022disconnect, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Disconnect between planned and autonomous adaptation}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2022}, month = dec, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/disconnect-between-planned-and-autonomous-adaptation/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }