Amid insufficient global efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, the focus on adapting to climate change risks has gained prominence. Understanding adaptation limits, and societal limits in particular, is crucial for shaping society's responses to climate change.

Adaptation limits represent the point where actors, be they individuals, businesses, or governments, can no longer safeguard their valued objectives from intolerable climate-related risks through adaptation. An actor-centered, risk-based approach is essential to define these limits, in the context of the consequences, likelihood, and uncertainty of climate-related hazards.

The risks face by actors can be categorized as acceptable, tolerable, or intolerable, influenced by their perceptions and experiences. As actors adapt within the tolerable risk zone, they invest in adaptive measures. However, when risks escalate or adaptation costs become prohibitive, a point is reached where no viable adaptive options remain, resulting in a behavioral discontinuity—the adaptation limit.

This risk-based approach to defining adaptation limits emphasizes the social, institutional, and cultural aspects influencing both adaptation and risk perceptions. This approach recognizes that limits are unique to each actor and manifest themselves on different scales.

Urgency for researching adaptation limits is heightened by the looming climate crisis. Communities, regions, and sectors, particularly in vulnerable areas like the Arctic, approach their adaptation limits. Effective early warning systems and cross-scale operations are imperative. Collaboration between policymakers and researchers is necessary to predict and manage the consequences of surpassing adaptation limits as climate change accelerates. This proactive approach better prepares us for the forthcoming challenges and debates.
Dow, K; Berkhout, F; Preston, BL; Klein, RJT; Midgley, G; Shaw, MR
Limits to adaptation
Nature Climate Change