Efforts to adapt to climate change can be incremental, reformist or transformational, depending on the scale of the change required. Incremental action may address specific climate impacts in a given place, but do not challenge the social and political institutions that prevent people from bouncing back better. Reformist action may address some of the social and institutional drivers of exposure and vulnerability, but without addressing the underlying socioeconomic structures that drive differential forms of exposure. For example, social protection measures may improve people's capacity to cope with climate impacts, but that improved capacity will depend on maintaining such protection measures. Transformative action involves fundamental changes in political and socioeconomic systems, oriented toward addressing vulnerability drivers . All forms of adaptation are relevant to deliver resilient futures because of the variability of conditions in which adaptation action is needed.
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report