What Types of Information Are Needed for Adaptation Decision Making?

The author contends that 'perfect' information does not exist and that adaptation decisions require 'decision-relevant' information rather than just accurate data. This information must align with the geographical scale and timeframes of specific policy and investment schedules while remaining scientifically credible. The paper highlights that information needs vary depending on whether the goal is identifying vulnerabilities, setting priorities, or evaluating post-implementation outcomes. To avoid the 'barrier to decision making' created by an abundance of data, the author advocates for a joint responsibility where providers and users engage in a continuous learning process to tailor information to the specific needs of the decision-making community.

• Information is only decision-relevant if it aligns with the spatial and temporal scales of the decision-making process, including investment, policy-making, and maintenance schedules.
• There is a necessary tension between the demand for highly specific spatial and temporal information and the requirement for scientific credibility, which may necessitate alternative decision processes when specific demands cannot be met.
• Information requirements differ based on the stage of the adaptation process: identifying vulnerabilities and risks requires different data than appraising options, establishing priorities, or evaluating outcomes post-implementation.
• The pursuit of absolute accuracy is a 'misnomer' in adaptation; instead, the priority should be decision relevance, transparency regarding assumptions and limitations, and the integration of uncertainties into the decision-making process.
• An overabundance of data can act as a barrier to effective decision-making, potentially causing users to focus on understanding the climate itself rather than extracting the specific information needed to support a decision.
• Delivering decision-relevant information is a joint responsibility requiring users to articulate their evidence needs and providers to move beyond traditional data presentations to offer innovative solutions.
• Sustained engagement between users and providers, as seen in the development of the UK Climate Projections 2009, is more effective than simple consultations for defining the acceptability and characteristics of information.

APA

Street, R. (2010). What Types of Information Are Needed for Adaptation Decision Making? World Resources Institute. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-6-response-1.pdf

Chicago

Street, Roger. What Types of Information Are Needed for Adaptation Decision Making? World Resources Institute, 2010. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-6-response-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Street |first1=Roger |title=What Types of Information Are Needed for Adaptation Decision Making? |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=2010 |url=https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-6-response-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{street2010what, author = {Street, Roger}, title = {{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-response-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }