anpassningsåtgärder

Anpassningsåtgärder, literally “adjustment measures,” refer to actions taken to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience to changing conditions, most commonly in the context of climate change, but also in fields such as public health, urban planning, and social services. The concept emerged from international climate policy as a counterpart to mitigation, emphasizing the need to cope with impacts that are already occurring or projected to occur despite emission reductions.

Typical adaptation measures include infrastructural upgrades such as flood‑defense systems, elevated buildings, and heat‑resistant road surfaces. In agriculture, they involve altering crop varieties, adjusting planting schedules, and improving irrigation efficiency. Urban adaptation can comprise expanding green spaces to mitigate heat islands, enhancing storm‑water management, and revising building codes for increased safety. Social adaptation focuses on early warning systems, public awareness campaigns, and support programs for vulnerable populations.

Implementation of anpassningsåtgärder is guided by risk assessments that identify exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity of communities and ecosystems. Effective adaptation often requires coordinated governance across local, regional, and national levels, as well as integration with mitigation strategies to avoid maladaptation—measures that unintentionally increase risk elsewhere. Funding mechanisms include public budgets, climate‑finance instruments, and private investment. Monitoring and evaluation are essential to adjust policies over time, ensuring that adaptation remains responsive to evolving scientific knowledge and socio‑economic conditions.