Transboundary Climate Risk and Adaptation - Science for Adaptation Policy Brief #2

This policy brief explains the nature, pathways, and policy implications of climate risks that cross national borders in an interconnected global system. It outlines how climate impacts and adaptation responses in one country can generate cascading effects through trade, migration, ecosystems, finance, and infrastructure networks. The document reviews existing knowledge, including analytical approaches that assess countries’ exposure to such risks and evidence showing that these risks may equal or exceed domestic climate impacts. It also examines how current adaptation planning rarely incorporates cross-border risks despite their significance. The brief discusses governance gaps, the limited integration of transboundary considerations into national adaptation planning, and highlights the need for international cooperation, improved evidence, and policy-relevant research to support coordinated adaptation responses.