Institutional Barriers to Climate Adaptation: Evidence from around the World
On May 18, 2026, Stanford’s Hoover Institution will partner with the Ronald Coase Institute to host an academic workshop on “Institutional Barriers to Climate Adaptation.” This one-day conference will gather 30-40 junior and senior scholars from around the world to discuss research on how institutions – laws, rules, and norms hinder or promote adaptation. Much of the evidence will come from developing countries where benefits from adaptation are salient and institutional barriers are common. Sessions will highlight barriers in diverse settings ranging from costly climate mitigation policies across countries, to weak property rights in Ethiopia and India, to perverse policy incentives in Brazil and Indonesia.