• Energy Research

Assessing global progress on human adaptation to climate change is an urgent priority. Although the literature on adaptation to climate change is rapidly expanding, little is known about the actual extent of implementation. We systematically screened >48,000 articles using machine learning methods and a global network of 126 researchers. Our synthesis of the resulting 1,682 articles presents a systematic and comprehensive global stocktake of implemented human adaptation to climate change. Documented adaptations were largely fragmented, local and incremental, with limited evidence of transformational adaptation and negligible evidence of risk reduction outcomes. We identify eight priorities for global adaptation research: assess the effectiveness of adaptation responses, enhance the understanding of limits to adaptation, enable individuals and civil society to adapt, include missing places, scholars and scholarship, understand private sector responses, improve methods for synthesizing different forms of evidence, assess the adaptation at different temperature thresholds, and improve the inclusion of timescale and the dynamics of 536 responses.

The present study synthesizes existing literature on Forest Ecosystem Vulnerability (FEV) assessments across the world's mountain regions. The synthesis reveals a globally substantial number of studies are available on FEV assessment. However, such studies are limited in the mountain regions. Of the total 75 peer-reviewed research papers considered for synthesis, there are 61 (81.32%) studies specific to the country, 6 (8%) to continental, 4 (5.34%) to global scales, and the remaining 4 (5.34%) to local. The study results reveal that most assessments are model-based projections, where complex topography of mountains creates uncertainty for climate projections in limited analyses of socio-ecological indicators. Only a few studies (12%) have considered socio-ecological and ground-based data, which are primarily required for adaptation and management planning at the local level. Overall synthesis of literature provided vital information on climate change impacts and suggested management and adaptation plans but was far from a broad reality for the future of the mountain ecosystem under the paradox of climate change. Scales, targets, indicators, and assessment approaches varied widely and focused on only a subset of resources. We recommend forest managers should critically examine the scale, indicators, methods, and targets when planning forest vulnerability assessments. This synthesis of FEV assessment will help suggest the best approaches and indicators given the limited number of model studies in the mountain area for decision and policy making for forest resource management.