IS/ISO 14091:2021

Adaptation to Climate Change – Guidelines on Vulnerability, Impacts and Risk Assessment

The assessment of climate change risks is essential for effective adaptation strategies across organizations and sectors. It addresses the growing need for standardized methodologies to evaluate vulnerability, impacts, and risks related to climate change.

This standard provides structured guidelines for identifying climate hazards, assessing exposure and sensitivity, and evaluating adaptive capacity through qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative methods. It supports organizations in integrating climate risk assessments into planning, implementation, and monitoring processes. Emphasizing a participatory, transparent, and iterative approach, the standard promotes the use of impact chains, indicators, and data aggregation to analyse systemic vulnerabilities.

It also underscores the importance of context, time horizons, interdependencies, and uncertainties in climate risk analysis. The document aids in prioritizing adaptation actions and facilitates reporting that aligns with stakeholder expectations and strategic decision-making. Although it does not prescribe specific adaptation measures, it establishes foundational practices for consistent and credible assessments.

By fostering clarity, inclusivity, and comparability, it enhances the integration of climate risks into environmental management systems and aligns with broader ISO standards such as ISO 14090 and ISO 31000. This standard plays a pivotal role in building climate resilience and guiding future developments in climate adaptation planning and environmental risk governance.

Last Updated on July 18, 2025