Haley & Aldrich’s Resilience Lead Melissa May has authored an article for the American Planning Association (APA) to increase awareness and adoption of adaptation pathways as an approach to help communities adapt to climate change.
The publication, “Adaptation Pathways for Climate Resilience,” appears in the APA Planning Advisory Service (PAS) October 2025 edition of PAS QuickNotes.
An adaptation pathway is defined as a “sequence of adaptation actions that are triggered by observable events and impacts over time to achieve defined objectives under changing conditions.” Melissa argues that this approach gives communities and planners a way to start preparing for the long-term impacts of climate change, such as sea level rise and extreme heat, while preserving the flexibility to adjust as localized impacts become clear.
Adaptation pathways offer “a flexible framework for decision making under uncertainty and promote cost-effective, phased implementation of adaptation strategies,” writes Melissa. The article goes on to describe the steps involved in creating adaptation pathways, approaches for integrating pathways into planning and budgeting frameworks, and best practices for overcoming barriers to adoption.
The full article is free for APA members and available for nonmembers to purchase on the APA website.
