This conference synthesis aims to distill some high-level messages about the present state and future direction of adaptation research, policy and practice, and to provide a quick overview of the 159 conference sessions.
Adaptation Futures 2016: Practices and Solutions, was held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on 10–13 May. It convened more than 1,700 experts from more than 100 countries, including more than 600 adaptation scholars, 400 policy-makers, 100 private-sector representatives, and 400 practitioners, making it the largest adaptation-specific gathering of experts to date.
The broad range of actors and topics covered, from the Arctic to cities, from infrastructure to food, and from governance to investment to risk assessment, is indicative of the growing importance of adaptation, and the urgency with which it is being approached around the globe.