Climate change is no longer a distant threat unfolding slowly in the background. India being ranked ninth on the 2025 global climate risk index developed by Germanwatch, a well known global think tank, is evidence of the country’s deep vulnerability to adverse impacts of global climate change. In such a world of high vulnerability to climate risks and increasing losses to social and economic systems, adaptation is not a choice; it is an urgent necessity.AdvertisementHowever, most discussions taking place on the worsening crisis are not reflected in our public policy choices. Although global attention to adaptation is increasing, progress remains slow. This was evident at the recent climate conference (COP) at Belem in Brazil, where the concern over fossil fuel phase-down nearly overwhelmed the need for greater resources for adaptation compared to mitigation.Also Read | COP 30 moves needle on climate financeThe Paris Agreement, adopted at the COP21 in 2015, created the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) to enhance resilience and reduce vulnerability. COP28 adopted the GGA framework, known as the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience (UAE FGCR), with a focus on climate-resilient water security, food, health, ecosystems, infrastructure, poverty reduction, and cultural heritage. It outlines the full adaptation cycle from risk assessment to implementation. Under this framework, a two-year UAE-Belém Work Programme was established to develop indicators for measuring progress.After much struggle and consternation, the work programme on global climate resilience adopted in Dubai was brought to a conclusion at Belem. The Belém Package decided to adopt 60 voluntary indicators to be used by countries to measure their progress on adaptation in key vulnerable areas as identified in the global goal on adaptation and report to the UNFCCC. Adaptation must be measured not by the number of projects but by the assessment of how crop losses shrink, water becomes more reliable, homes withstand extreme events, and health outcomes improve during heatwaves and disease outbreaks. While this is a useful step, the indicators fall short in guiding countries on how to integrate them with means of implementation and report the progress on supported actions or otherwise.AdvertisementCurrently, less than five per cent of global finance flows goes to adaptation. Global public funding for adaptation fell slightly from $28 billion in 2022 to $26 billion in 2023. Countries have pledged to double adaptation finance to $40 billion by 2025, but uncertainty persists, especially for the most vulnerable nations.COP30 noted that many developing countries are advancing their adaptation planning through National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) but still face major challenges. In low-income countries, only 10 per cent of disaster losses are insured, compared to nearly 60 per cent in wealthier nations. This gap underlines the urgent need for stronger financial protection for vulnerable communities.The Mutirão decision at COP30, which established a two-year work programme on climate finance, seeks to increase climate finance for developing countries to at least $1.3 trillion per year by 2035. This is accompanied by a decision to triple adaptation finance by 2035. Meeting this goal will require both public and private contributions as well as clearer investment pathways.Fostering Investible National Implementation (FINI), an initiative launched at COP30, aims to help countries convert their National Adaptation Plans into investment-ready projects. By bringing together governments, development banks, insurers, and private investors, it seeks to unlock $1 trillion in adaptation project pipelines within three years. If successful, this could shift global adaptation efforts from planning to delivering resilience at scale.To date, 71 countries have submitted their NAPs to the UNFCCC. India is in the process of finalising its own plan. India’s vulnerability is shaped by multiple underlying factors, including poverty, land degradation, biodiversity loss, regional inequality, and pressure on natural resources. Climate risks interact with these challenges and amplify them. Effective adaptation, therefore, requires investment in local capacity, stronger institutions, scientific data, and social protection systems.A useful way forward is to see adaptation and resilience as complementary. Adaptation helps communities manage specific risks. Resilience enables them to recover, reorganise, and strengthen after shocks. Adaptation protects what is essential, while resilience builds capabilities for the future. Together, they determine how societies can withstand repeated disruptions.most readIndia now needs an agenda that is grounded, practical, and forward-looking. This agenda must empower local governments, strengthen community leadership, and create incentives for measurable progress. It must combine scientific knowledge with cultural wisdom and treat adaptation finance as an investment in long-term well-being.Climate adaptation is built through daily actions. India’s greatest strength lies in blending everyday wisdom with supportive policies and modern science. With sustained commitment, adaptation can move from aspiration to action and foster lasting resilience for all.Manish Anand is a Senior Fellow at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). RR Rashmi is a Distinguished Fellow at TERI and a former climate negotiator