The past, present and future of adaptation: Setting the context and naming the challenges
This is an introductory chapter of Climate Adaptation Futures, a book that seeks to expose and debate key issues in climate change adaptation, and to report the current state of knowledge on adaptation. Many challenges surround the definition and implementation of successful adaptation, which this book seeks to address. To explore these challenges, selection of papers have been taken from the First International Conference on Climate Change Adaptation 'Climate Adaptation Futures.' This chapter begins with a discussion of five principal challenges for adaptation. It then outlines the content of the book. The chapters of the book are mapped onto the five challenges, so that those who wish to explore in greater depth can do so. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.