Towards Applying Climate Change Adaptation

Abstract

Climate change adaptation has been growing in importance since the beginning of the 21st century. Historically adaptation, not to climate change but to extreme events, was deeply rooted in many societies and their land-use structures. With industrialization, and especially the increase in globalization since the 1990’s the importance of appropriate adaptation has slowly decreased, leading to increased exposure and risks of human settlements in areas potentially affected by climate change impacts (e.g. sea level rise) and / or extreme events (natural hazards). In order to implement climate change adaptation sustainably feasible solutions should be identified, i.e. viable and acceptable from socio-economic point of views. The identification of such feasible solutions goes beyond pure scientific analysis but incorporates stakeholders, decision-makers and local knowledge.