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

The document argues that effective climate change adaptation requires accurate data on climate risks, population vulnerability, and adaptation options. It categorizes information needs into three frameworks: responsive policymaking for sudden disasters (e.g., flooding in Pakistan), proactive planning for long-term threats (e.g., sea level rise in West African coastal cities), and robust planning for uncertain outcomes (e.g., glacier melt in Europe). The briefing seeks to determine what specific information sets, including non-climatic data, are sufficient to advance interventions and which stakeholders should define these needs.

• Decision makers require specific categories of data to make effective adaptation choices, specifically regarding climate risks, the vulnerability of populations, and available adaptation options.
• Information needs are shaped by the nature of the climate risk: sudden 'surprise' events require responsive efforts, long-term threats require proactive policies, and highly uncertain risks require robust approaches capable of handling multiple futures.
• Proactive planning for sea level rise in West African megacities may require information to redesign urban areas to reduce vulnerability to storm surges and floods, or to restructure sectors like aquaculture.
• Robust planning in Europe must account for significant uncertainty regarding glacier volume loss, which is projected to be between 30% and 70% by mid-century, affecting water discharge levels.

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} }