Because the impacts of climate change affect people and nature in so many different ways, the specific goals of adaptation depend on the impact being managed and the action being taken. For human systems, adaptation includes actions aimed at reducing a specific risk, such as by fortifying a building against flooding, or actions aimed at multiple risks, such as requiring climate risk assessments in financial reporting in anticipation of different kinds of risk. At the local level, communities can take actions that include updating building codes and land use plans, improving soil management, enhancing water use efficiency, supporting migrants and taking measures to reduce poverty. For natural systems, adaptation includes organisms changing behaviours, migrating to new locations and genetic modifications in response to changing climate conditions. The goals for these adaptation actions can relate to health, water or food security, jobs and employment, poverty eradication and social equity, biodiversity and ecosystem services, among others. Articulating the goals of adaptation thus requires engaging with the concepts of equity, justice and effectiveness at the international, national and local levels.
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report