The world’s leading climate scientists have determined that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are responsible for a majority of the change in the global climate over recent decades. (For an overview of the scientific processes behind this change, see the Basic Science page.) Even if greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced to zero tomorrow, the natural lag in the climate system between emissions and impacts is such that additional climate change is inevitable. The rate of change and the magnitudes of the impacts will present challenges as societies adapt to climate change.

Some societies will be especially vulnerable to a changing climate. For example, many tropical developing countries have fewer resources to adapt, and their economies tend to be more heavily concentrated in resource industries, such as forestry, fisheries, and agriculture, that are more susceptible to a changing climate. Even developed countries will need to adapt to a changing climate, as evidenced by the increasing intensity and frequency of hurricanes in the Atlantic basin. Some adaptation will occur through the choices and decisions made by individuals and firms to mitigate their exposure to climate change risks. Government policies can also be designed to provide the incentives for the transfer of technology to developing countries, spur investment in R&D, and promote other efforts to facilitate adaptation.

At Resources for the Future, scholars have addressed an array of issues related to climate change adaptation. Research on resource management, including forestry, fisheries, and biodiversity, can inform policymakers as they adjust management programs in light of the increased frequency and magnitude of climate-related shocks to these systems. With the risks of increasing prevalence of vector-borne diseases and higher mean and greater variance in temperatures, research by RFF scholars can also benefit public health officials and policymakers.

RFF's adaptation research spans a wide array of topics. Explore this research expertise using the Research Topic "Quick Links" in the top right corner of RFF's website, www.rff.org.