International Platform on Adaption Metrics

The IPCC defines “adaptation to climate change” as “ the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects. In human systems, adaptation seeks to moderate or avoid harm or exploit beneficial opportunities. In some natural systems, human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate and its effects”.
It has been estimated that humans have already caused 1.0°C of global heating; and there is more to come
Impacts of climate change include rising sea level, melting ice, amplified extreme weather events (torrential downpours, powerful storms), heatwaves and droughts, alteration of many ecosystems, crop productivity reduction, pests and diseases.
Adaptation to climate change aim to reduce the negative effects of its impact which might even translate to taking advantage of new opportunities that may arise along this change

“Metrics” refers to a system or standard of measurement. The term is often used interchangeably in the literature with “indicators”. Adaptation metrics are standards to measure adaptation to climate change.
Adaptation metrics are essential in order to assess vulnerability, risk, resilience or climate impacts, to track implementation of adaptive responses and to monitor and measure adaptation results.
Adaptation metrics enhance project efficiency in measuring progress and quantifying limitations.
Adaptation metrics will help better allocate funding and will determine the potential benefits of adaptation investments.
Well defined adaptation metrics are a powerful tool for the advocacy of adaptation projects towards donors.
Standardized metrics will ease the comparison and aggregation of adaptation results between programs, projects and activities.

There is no dedicated space to convene and focus expertise on the challenges of adaptation metrics.
To fill the gap between adaptation needs and realized adaptation finance requires a global effort to build consensus on metrics to help governments, businesses, and financial institutions to identify and steer investment.
A key barrier is the consensus on metrics to help governments, businesses, and financial institutions to identify and steer investment.
The creation of the International Platform on Adaptation Metrics (IPAM) is timely to fill these gaps, creating the first dedicated space to convene and focus expertise on the challenges of adaptation metrics.

Create a space for dialogue to connect experts, practitioners and decision-makers through the organization of events (international conferences, workshops, tutorials, webinars, others)
Facilitate the co-design of metrics through exchange and innovation, considering the need for aggregation and comparison
Promote capacity building, research exchange and data enhancement, clustering and analysis
Develop approaches, instruments, tools and facilities for the effective finance and policy making for climate adaptation