Question Six: What Types of Information Are Needed for Adaptation Decision Making?

This briefing from the World Resources Institute outlines the types of information required for climate change adaptation decision-making. It categorizes climate risks into three types—responsive, proactive, and robust—and uses specific regional examples to solicit expert input on the data and stakeholder involvement necessary for effective adaptation interventions.

• Effective climate change adaptation requires decision makers to have accurate data and knowledge regarding climate risk, the vulnerability of populations that are exposed, and available adaptation options.
• Information needs for adaptation are shaped by the nature of the climate risk: weather-related disasters require responsive efforts, long-term threats like sea level rise require proactive policies, and highly uncertain risks require robust approaches capable of managing multiple possible futures.
• In West African coastal cities projected to have over eight million people each by 2015, proactive planning for sea level rise may involve redesigning urban areas to reduce vulnerability to floods and storm surges, or restructuring sectors like aquaculture.
• Robust planning in Europe is needed to address the uncertainty of glacier volume loss, which is projected to be between 30% and 70% by mid-century, impacting spring and summer water discharge levels.
• Responsive policymaking is illustrated by the 2010 summer flooding in Pakistan, which killed nearly 2,000 people and displaced millions, highlighting the need for decision makers to respond quickly to extreme events that may become more frequent.

APA

World Resources Institute (2010). Question Six: What Types of Information Are Needed for Adaptation Decision Making? https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-6.pdf

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Question Six: What Types of Information Are Needed for Adaptation Decision Making? 2010. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-6.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Question Six: What Types of Information Are Needed for Adaptation Decision Making? |date=2010 |url=https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-6.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2010question, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Question Six: What Types of Information Are Needed for Adaptation Decision Making?}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2010}, url = {https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-6.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }