ABSTRACT
This contribution examines how and why the concept of adaptation has moved from the periphery of social science thinking to become a key concept in both academia and policy planning. It argues that, with the rise of climate change as a pivotal concern, adaptation has become a dominant means to think about the interaction between society and environment. There is, however, strong divergence in how adaptation is conceptualised in the literature. The contribution highlights three distinct ways of thinking about adaptation – risk management, resilience and transformation – each of which has distinct implications for policy and planning.
