Contextualizing “Risk”, “Uncertainty” and “Maladaptation” in the Context of Climate Change

This introductory chapter of the book is written with two important goals in mind. The first aim is to give a conceptual clarity on the concepts of risks, maladaptation, and uncertainty in the field of climate change and second is to explain the complex interrelationships it has with one another. We begin with the understanding that climate change adaptation is urgently required since the negative impact of climate change is felt worldwide, and evidence-based decision-making and policy options is a priority now. However, adaptation to climate change comes with a complex methodological and implementational challenge because it requires communities and individuals to make decisions with a possibility of very long-term consequences on the basis of existing knowledge that is often incomplete and uncertain. Thus, even with rapid advances in our capability to assess and quantify risk, the potential for adverse consequences remains uncertain. Without complete knowledge, risk analysis becomes inapt. Through various examples, we conclude that economically feasible, culturally accepted, and socially just, climate change adaptation plans can take place by acknowledging the challenge of understanding the nature and degree of uncertainty. The only way forward is to continue in efforts to generate evidence to monitor adaptation plans for minimizing the risk of maladaptation.