Protecting climate adaptation projects from maladaptation for low-income communities
open
Global, Global
WS04593
A seawall, air conditioner, reservoir, or drought-resistant crop can reduce one risk while increasing inequality, heat, debt, ecological damage, or downstream exposure. The challenge is evaluating full-system consequences before large investments are locked in. The solution must work with limited capital, intermittent services, and local maintenance capacity. The research opportunity is to define measurable success criteria, test the approach in realistic settings, identify failure modes, and create a pathway from prototype to accountable deployment.