A new UK report co-developed by the Government Office for Science puts a people-centred approach at the heart of climate adaptation. It highlights how social science evidence can improve policy by focusing on how people experience climate risks in everyday life.
According to the report, factors such as people's needs, behaviours, experiences and local context shape both the impact of climate change and the way adaptation measures are understood. That means climate risks are not felt in the same way everywhere, and responses may work differently from one community to another.
The report points to the value of looking beyond physical hazards alone when designing adaptation policy. By using social science alongside other evidence, policymakers can better understand how people respond to changing conditions and how support measures are received on the ground.
Its overall message is that climate adaptation in the UK is likely to be stronger when policy reflects lived experience as well as scientific assessment. A more people-centred model, the report suggests, can help adaptation efforts fit local realities as the country responds to a changing climate.
