Guidelines, instruments and resources to identify options for managing risks, and support decisions on the most suitable course of actions to take, can be collectively referred to as decision-support frameworks. These can include data services, decision-support tools, processes for making decisions and methods for monitoring and evaluating progress and success. Data services enable the identification, location and timing of risks that could manifest with negative impacts, as well as potential opportunities. Often, these are termed 'climate services' and assist with mapping hazards and how they are changing. Decision-support tools range from qualitative approaches to determining overlap of areas of concern with those hazards in the future, to more quantitative and dynamic simulation approaches that enable dynamic stress-testing of adaptation options and strategies to determine if proposed plans for adapting to the future could be successful. An important consideration is whether options for risk management or capitalisation on opportunities will limit options and flexibility for responding to unforeseen events in the future. If these options have a negative effect on other areas of concern, then they could be identified in these planning scenarios as maladaptations, and therefore avoided.
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report