As climate change intensifies, adaptation is essential. This Perspective explores how space-based Earth Observation (EO) data can support tracking progress under the Paris Agreement's Global Goal on Adaptation. Focusing on agriculture, biodiversity, extreme events, and health, it highlights EO’s strengths and challenges. The paper offers recommendations for integrating EO in indicator development, drawing parallels with the Sustainable Development Goals and emphasising the need for standardised, operational EO-based adaptation indicators. This paper is the result of a forum ‘Using Earth Observations Systems to Improve Climate Adaptation Policy and Action’, held from June 25 through June 28, 2024, in Bern, Switzerland, and hosted by the International Space Science Institute (ISSI, https://forum.issibern.ch/climate-adaptation/). The forum was co-convened by ISSI, European Space Agency, NASA, World Adaptation Science Programme, and Griffith University, with participants from research, policy, and space agencies. It explored the use and availability of space-based Earth Observations (EO) data in relation to the needs of the current UAE-Belem work programme on indicators under the GGA to assess the targets of the GGA framework. Considering global asymmetries in terms of the spatial coverage and temporal continuity of in-situ direct observations, such data sources were not discussed at the Forum. This paper aims to inform the ongoing UNFCCC process by highlighting the potential contributions of the EO community and the data it provides. We argue that EO data should be considered as an integral part of the GGA indicators under the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience. Reflecting the multidisciplinary expertise gathered at the Forum, we provide a set of recommendations to multiple stakeholders on how EO data can be further enhanced to support adaptation action and monitoring at scale. In particular, this paper focuses on four broad themes that span many aspects of the GGA targets: agriculture (which also integrates aspects of water), biodiversity, extreme events (which integrates aspects of water, infrastructure, and poverty) and health. For the full article, click here. 

The World Adaptation Science Programme (WASP) has made significant strides in bridging the science-policy gap for climate adaptation over the past six years. This progress report highlights key achievements, including the establishment of four Working Groups focused on adaptation effectiveness, loss and damage, the global goal on adaptation, and adaptation finance. WASP has published eight Science-for-Adaptation Policy Briefs and co-produced the annual Adaptation Gap Report, which assesses global progress on adaptation. The programme's efforts have been instrumental in supporting vulnerable developing countries with policy-relevant science and fostering international collaboration for effective climate adaptation.

Loss and damage are increasingly mentioned in National Adaptation Plans and National Determined Contributions, but these documents say little about options to address loss and damage and largely miss non-economic loss and damage. How to avert, minimize and address loss and damage is still in question. This issue of the WASP policy brief discusses the foundation on multiple dimensions of the loss and damage, which is induced by inadequate action on climate change. 

The Science for Adaptation Policy Brief Series targets researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to help them bridge the science-policy-action interface. This WASP brief looks at the Advancing Effectiveness for Climate Adaptation. 

This WASP brief looks at the Global Goal on Adaptation. The Science for Adaptation Policy Brief Series targets researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to help them bridge the science-policy-action interface.

The seventh edition of the WASP supported Adaptation Gap Report: Too Little, Too Slow – Climate adaptation failure puts world at risk finds that the world must urgently increase efforts to adapt to mounting impacts of climate change. 

This WASP brief looks at the risk of cascading climate change shocks and stressors. The Science for Adaptation Policy Brief Series targets researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to help them bridge the science-policy-action interface.

This WASP brief looks at early warning systems for adaptation. The Science for Adaptation Policy Brief Series targets researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to help them bridge the science-policy-action interface.

The sixth edition of the UNEP Adaptation Gap Report: The Gathering Storm finds that the growth in climate impacts is far outpacing our efforts to adapt to them.