Towards improved adaptation action in Europe

The policy brief advocates for the adoption of the Impact Chain approach to make climate adaptation in Europe 'smarter' and more systemic. It recommends shifting from a 'predict-then-act' to a 'reflect-then-act' paradigm to better manage uncertainties, accounting for transboundary climate risks that cascade across jurisdictions, and integrating social vulnerability assessments to ensure equitable adaptation. The brief emphasizes the need for collaborative, iterative co-production of knowledge with stakeholders and citizens to bridge the gap between scientific data and actionable policy.

• The Impact Chain approach is recommended as a flexible, standardized toolbox for climate risk and vulnerability assessments that can be tailored to various stakeholder needs and integrated with other risk management tools. It is specifically noted for its ability to disentangle compound hazards and transboundary climate risks, and it has been adopted by the EU-wide Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA).
• To better handle climate uncertainty, policymakers should move away from the traditional 'predict-then-act' model in favor of a 'reflect-then-act' approach. This involves using sensitivity analysis to identify where uncertainties emerge, ensuring transparency in communication, and incorporating alternative socio-economic scenarios rather than relying solely on traditional climate scenario analyses.
• There is a critical need to address transboundary climate risks, which affect supply chains, capital flows, and political jurisdictions. The document suggests three areas for international action: investing in method innovation and data collection, fostering cooperation in adaptation planning across jurisdictions, and exploring the links between transboundary risks and the climate security agenda.
• Effective adaptation requires collaborative, iterative co-production of knowledge with stakeholders and citizens. This process should involve early engagement to define objectives, the use of 'boundary organizations' to translate needs, continuous monitoring of engagement, and joint communication planning to ensure the resulting information is actionable.
• To achieve just and equitable adaptation, the EU must incorporate social vulnerability assessments into its decision-making. This involves identifying populations at risk and uncovering social injustices to ensure that adaptation policies target the most vulnerable segments of the population regardless of socio-economic status.

APA

Swartling, Å. G., André, K., Englund, M., Harris, K., & Aall, C. (2023). Towards improved adaptation action in Europe. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/unchain-eu-action-brief-sei2023.035-corrected.pdf

Chicago

Swartling, Åsa Gerger, Karin André, Mathilda Englund, Katy Harris, and Carlo Aall. Towards improved adaptation action in Europe. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2023. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/unchain-eu-action-brief-sei2023.035-corrected.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Swartling |first1=Åsa Gerger |last2=André |first2=Karin |last3=Englund |first3=Mathilda |last4=Harris |first4=Katy |last5=Aall |first5=Carlo |title=Towards improved adaptation action in Europe |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=June 2023 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/unchain-eu-action-brief-sei2023.035-corrected.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{swartling2023towards, author = {Swartling, Åsa Gerger and André, Karin and Englund, Mathilda and Harris, Katy and Aall, Carlo}, title = {{Towards improved adaptation action in Europe}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2023}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/unchain-eu-action-brief-sei2023.035-corrected.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }