ADAPTING LEGISLATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Avstrakt

Climate change adaptation has emerged as an essential component of contemporary environmental governance. However, existing legal frameworks remain inadequately equipped to address the urgency and magnitude of the challenge. This study employs systematic legal analysis to examine adaptation legislation at international and national levels, drawing on primary legal instruments such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement, as well as national legislation and policy documents. The findings reveal three primary deficiencies: normative gaps (absence of binding standards and measurable targets), institutional weaknesses (fragmented governance structures), and implementation failures (insufficient financing and weak enforcement). Although the Paris Agreement represents progress through its global adaptation goal, international law remains largely declaratory. At the national level, adaptation legislation lacks comprehensive frameworks, institutional coherence, and dedicated financing mechanisms. Effective adaptation law is critical to advancing climate justice, safeguarding human rights, and ensuring sustainable development in the face of intensifying climate risks.