Transformational adaptation: what it is, why it matters and what is needed

This paper summarises the findings of a scoping exercise to understand transformational adaptation in more depth, compare how different people were framing it and consider what it might mean for a practice. Drawing upon recent literature on transformation and climate adaptation and reflecting upon a IPCC conference  at the University of Oslo, 2013, and a workshop on transformational adaptation in March 2015 for practitioners and academics, the report considers whether transformational adaptation is simply a means of categorising the nature of our response to climate change risks, or has potential to provide practical tools for more effective adaptation. The report draws key themes from the literature, with a focus on the practice implications, as a starting point for exploring what is required to move transformation from an attractive concept to something more tangible and policy-relevant.