The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published ISO 14092:2026 — Climate change adaptation — Requirements and guidance on adaptation planning for local governments and communities, providing a structured framework to support climate resilience at the local level.
As climate impacts intensify worldwide, many adaptation plans have remained fragmented or difficult to operationalise. The new International Standard aims to address this gap by offering practical, context-specific guidance to help local governments and frontline communities design and implement effective adaptation strategies.
ISO 14092:2026 establishes a step-by-step framework covering the full adaptation planning cycle, from climate risk assessment to implementation and continual improvement. It supports organisations in defining governance structures and responsibilities, engaging stakeholders, assessing and prioritising climate risks, designing and implementing adaptation measures, and monitoring progress over time.
The publication follows renewed commitments at COP30, where governments emphasised the urgency of scaling up adaptation and strengthening climate-resilient planning systems. Against this backdrop, the standard provides a credible pathway for local leaders and policymakers seeking to translate climate ambition into tangible action.
ISO 14092:2026 replaces ISO/TS 14092:2020, elevating the guidance from a Technical Specification to a full International Standard. The updated version includes enhanced guidance and an additional annex to support the practical implementation of adaptation measures.
Climate risks such as floods, heatwaves, droughts and coastal erosion are increasingly affecting infrastructure, essential services, livelihoods and investment flows. While adaptation strategies exist in many jurisdictions, implementation has often been under-resourced or poorly coordinated. Access to adaptation finance is also increasingly tied to clear, evidence-based planning processes underpinned by transparent governance structures.
By providing a common, internationally recognised framework, ISO 14092:2026 seeks to support cross-sector coordination, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and improve the credibility of adaptation planning. Although voluntary, the standard is designed primarily for local governments and communities and is applicable across sectors, including organisations managing location-based climate risks.
The standard is expected to help translate climate risk assessments into structured, actionable adaptation plans, enhance coordination across services and infrastructure, and align local planning with national and global adaptation priorities, while supporting continual monitoring and improvement.
