Unlocking the Potential for Transformative Climate Adaptation in Cities

This research paper, commissioned by the Global Commission on Adaptation for its 2019 flagship report, examines the transition from incremental to transformative climate adaptation in cities. It focuses on systemic changes to development processes to address equity and climate justice challenges.

• While cities are incorporating climate adaptation into development plans, there is a lack of understanding regarding how incremental solutions can evolve into long-term transformative change.
• Transformative adaptation is characterized by a shift toward addressing systemic climate justice and equity issues, aiming to improve quality of life and ensure inclusive, resilient urban futures through changes to development processes.
• The paper utilizes a systematic review of case studies and literature from both the global north and south to identify the enablers and barriers to achieving transformative climate adaptation across various cities.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Unlocking the Potential for Transformative Climate Adaptation in Cities. https://www.wri.org/research/unlocking-potential-transformative-climate-adaptation-cities

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Unlocking the Potential for Transformative Climate Adaptation in Cities. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/unlocking-potential-transformative-climate-adaptation-cities.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Unlocking the Potential for Transformative Climate Adaptation in Cities |url=https://www.wri.org/research/unlocking-potential-transformative-climate-adaptation-cities |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendunlocking, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Unlocking the Potential for Transformative Climate Adaptation in Cities}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/unlocking-potential-transformative-climate-adaptation-cities}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }