Tracking progress, in particular outcomes and impacts of adaptation, involves a number of challenges. First, to determine progress over time, risk and vulnerability assessments need to be repeated at least once after starting an adaptation process. This is rarely done, as it demands resources that are usually not factored into the adaptation response. Second, attributing changes in climate risks and vulnerabilities to the adaptation response is often difficult due to other influencing factors, such as socioeconomic development over time. Expected causal relationships between responses and their outcomes should already be outlined during the adaptation planning phase, for example by mapping the way from activities to outcomes, and they should be monitored during implementation. Third, as adaptation can occur in multiple forms and target multiple temporal and spatial scales, the engagement of a diversity of stakeholders is vital to understanding how responses enable adaptation and adaptation success across vulnerable groups. Although stakeholder engagement can be time intensive and costly, in particular when reaching out to populations that are usually not part of policy and planning processes, it can support evaluating co-benefits and trade-offs of adaptation responses. Consideration and analysis of co-benefits and trade-offs along with a focus on short, medium and long time horizons of adaptation goals, which is usually possible through flexible and strong institutions, facilitate successful adaptation and reduce the likelihood of maladaptation.
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report