Assessment of the capacity of port policies to support adaptation to climate-induced extreme weather events

Climate change is exposing ports to extreme weather events. Although state-of-the-art engineering solutions provide mitigation and adaptation options, policy frameworks often remain reactive, fragmented, or misaligned with scientific recommendations, leaving ports vulnerable and undermining their capacity to absorb, adapt to, and recover from climate-induced disruptions. This study builds on vulnerability analysis to assess climate adaptation readiness in the port sector through a structured policy gap analysis. Methodologically, this study advances climate adaptation governance research by developing and applying an integrated, multi-method framework combining a PRISMA-guided systematic literature review, thematic coding, and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), enabling transparent and replicable comparative assessment of port climate adaptation policy coverage and science-policy alignment. The thematic outputs are translated into evaluative criteria to compare how consistently key adaptation measures are embedded across port policy documents. The study applies this framework to three ports: Seville (Spain), Dunkirk (France), and Livorno (Italy) to examine whether scientifically recommended adaptation measures are reflected in their policy documents. Results show that ports have integrated mitigation strategies such as emissions reductions, but policy coverage of critical adaptation measures remains inconsistent. Notably, infrastructure reinforcement, real-time monitoring, and post-disruption recovery planning are often absent or underdeveloped in port policies. MCDA results further reveal gaps in implementation planning provisions, cost considerations, and long-term investment planning. The study recommends a policy shift towards proactive, science-aligned adaptation planning. It proposes the integration of science-based adaptation measures into port governance frameworks to enhance the sustainability, long-term preparedness, and operational continuity of ports amid intensifying climate risks.