Unpacking adaptation lock-ins: Explaining the persistence of the adaptation gap

Jager, Nicolas W., Alexander, Meghan, Groen, Lisanne, Huitema, Dave, Siebenhuner, Bernd, King, Julie P., Turnpenny, John, Rayner, Tim, Huge, Jean and Grothmann, Torsten (2026) Unpacking adaptation lock-ins: Explaining the persistence of the adaptation gap. Earth System Governance, 28. ISSN 2589-8116

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Abstract

Climate change adaptation is increasingly outpaced by accelerating climate risks, resulting in a persistent and widening adaptation gap. Many current interventions remain incremental and insufficient, failing to address the scale of transformation required. We argue that this shortfall is best understood through the concept of adaptation lock-ins—systemic constraints that both cause and result from maladaptation. These lock-ins generate self-reinforcing dynamics that trap institutions and policy systems in established trajectories, hindering more ambitious and forward-looking action. In this paper, we explore how a deeper understanding of lock-ins can help explain enduring adaptation deficits and structural barriers to sustainable change. We also discuss methodological approaches to identifying lock-in mechanisms and show how such insights can be mobilized to inform deliberate ‘unlocking’ strategies that enable more equitable and transformative adaptation pathways and sustainability transformations.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	governance,path dependency,adaptation,climate change,lock-in,policy,sdg 13 - climate action ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of Politics, Philosophy and Area Studies
UEA Research Groups:	University of East Anglia Schools > Faculty of Science > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Social Sciences Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Groups > Political, Social and International Studies Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Groups > Policy & Politics Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Centre for Competition Policy
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	25 Feb 2026 14:30
Last Modified:	26 Feb 2026 09:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/102058
DOI:	10.1016/j.esg.2026.100320

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