Climate change adaptation laws and policies: A review of trends, gaps and opportunities in 35 countries

This policy report, published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, outlines an overview of the climate adaptation strategies of 35 selected countries. Global trends and key developments are analysed over time and the report concludes with recommendations and actionable guidance, connecting their findings to the broader debate on adaptation at the international and local levels.

Climate change impacts are intensifying, yet adaptation efforts are not keeping pace with the scale and urgency of emerging risks. This report aims to expand the knowledge base on adaptation-relevant laws and policies. It identifies and analyses 902 of these laws and policies over time across 35 countries representing diverse regions, socioeconomic contexts and levels of exposure to climate risks. The analysis shows that the pace of policymaking on adaptation has accelerated in recent years: 75% of adaptation-relevant laws and policies have been adopted since the Paris Agreement in 2015, and 46% since 2020.