Abstract

This policy brief examines the feasibility and practicability of a set of common global adaptation indicators and their use in context of the Paris Agreement. It looks at the different purposes of applying adaptation metrics and provides recommendations for their targeted use.

Adaptation metrics need to be tailored to a particular purpose and context. A global set of all purpose adaptation indicators is neither feasible nor desirable. There are repeated calls to develop common adaptation metrics for use in the UNFCCC context, but a clearly defined purpose and a detailed examination of their applicability and usefulness is often missing. Since adaptation is context-dependent and closely interlinked with sustainable development, it is not possible to come up with a single metric that is able to capture adaptation outcomes in a uniform way at global level. 

Adaptation indicators can be applied for different purposes and at different levels (e.g. local, national or global), each requiring different characteristics of the indicators used. Therefore, adaptation indicators need to be defined for a particular purpose and context, rather than searching for elusive all-purpose indicators. This is apparent in the diversity of countries’ nationally determined contributions (NDCs) whose adaptation components require country-specific monitoring systems. The Global Stocktake can best be informed by a mix of information from global sources and national and subnational level. There is an opportunity to more specifically define adaptation targets and indicators, but the limits of globally standardized adaptation metrics need to be recognized.