This paper provides a structural analysis of maladaptation. Climate change adaptation outcomes are shaped by structural challenges that constrain the effectiveness of such initiatives. Four mechanisms have been identified as heightening the risk of maladaptive outcomes: (1) the pursuit of technological fixes rather than holistic approaches; (2) the failure to distinguish between adaptation and development; (3) the challenge of quantifying non-quantifiable factors; and (4) the presence of competing issues. In a case study, we examine how the structural challenges associated with adaptation restrict the parameters of relocation initiative outcomes and their effectiveness in relation to three coastal villages in Fiji. Analyzing relocation as an adaptation provides useful insights regarding: (1) the extent to which relocation reduces exposure to risk, and (2) the constraints and uneven outcomes typical in such climate change adaptation.
Bertana et al. (2026) studied this question.