8 Adaptation frequently responds to an observed or anticipated 'trigger' for response, such as the looming loss of land to sea level rise . Identifying adaptation needs stemming from climate risks and vulnerabilities provides a foundation for selecting a sequence of adaptation options that connect through time, a long-term adaptation pathway . National, sectoral or local adaptation plans are likely to include a number of measures that are implemented jointly from across various categories, including structural, institutional and social options. While structural or physical adaptation encompasses measures for the engineered built environment it also can encompass nature-based solutions, which include ecosystem-based protection measures, for example to buffer risks and hazard exposure to extreme weather events. The category of 'soft' adaptation measures-changes in societal values or practices- is often linked to issues of education, information and behavioural changes to support communities within specific adaptation processes to climate change and climate hazards. Institutional adaptation deals with adaptation actions and measures introduced through new legal frameworks, laws and regulations for new institutions or policies for risk reduction and adaptation. This category can also encompass the development of new organisations that have a mandate to support adaptation . The appropriateness and accessibility of adaptation options under these categories for supporting the poor and most vulnerable groups differs. In many cases large-scale structural measures are not affordable for many poor communities. Despite this important potential of Indigenous knowledge for disaster risk reduction of communities, it is often shunned by practitioners . It is further argued by practitioners that Indigenous knowledge lacks documentation, it is not found in all generational classes, it is contextualised to particular communities and the knowledge cannot be scientifically validated. However, there is also evidence that both local communities and disaster risk reduction practitioners can benefit from the Indigenous knowledge of communities .
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report