ABSTRACT
Since the publication of the Stern Review (Stern 2007) and the 4th assessment report of the IPCC (Parry et al. 2007, Solomon et al. 2007), there has been a broad consensus — not only among climate change researchers but also among many decision-makers — about the reality of climate change and the necessity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and realise measures to adapt to the unavoidable change. There is less consensus regarding probable future climate change impacts and vulnerabilities, and even less on which adaptation measures are necessary and suitable. Research on climate change impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation (in short: I VA research), regularly summarised by Working Group II of the IPCC, represents a relatively young and fragmented field. Nevertheless, the precautionary principle (UNFCCC 1992) states that a lack of complete scientific certainty and consensus should not be used to justify postponing adaptation measures where there is the threat of serious (e.g. deaths due to heatwaves) or irreversible damage (e.g. extinction of species).
