For example, inclusive, integrated 
and long-term planning at local, municipal, sub-national and national 
scales, together with effective regulation and monitoring systems 
and ﬁnancial and technological resources and capabilities foster 
urban and rural system transition. There are a range of cross-cutting 
adaptation options, such as disaster risk management, early warning 
systems, climate services and risk spreading and sharing that have 
broad applicability across sectors and provide greater beneﬁts to other 
adaptation options when combined. Transitioning from incremental to 
transformational adaptation, and addressing a range of constraints, 
primarily in the ﬁnancial, governance, institutional and policy domains, 
can help overcome soft adaptation limits. However, adaptation does 
not prevent all losses and damages, even with effective adaptation and 
before reaching soft and hard limits. (high conﬁdence) {WGII SPM C.2, 
WGII SPM C.2.6, WGII SPM.C.2.13, WGII SPM C.3.1, WGII SPM.C.3.4, 
WGII SPM C.3.5, WGII Figure TS.6 Panel (e)}
Maladaptive responses to climate change can create lock-ins of 
vulnerability, exposure and risks that are difﬁcult and expensive 
to change and exacerbate existing inequalities. Actions that focus 
on sectors and risks in isolation and on short-term gains often lead 
to maladaptation. Adaptation options can become maladaptive due 
to their environmental impacts that constrain ecosystem services and 
decrease biodiversity and ecosystem resilience to climate change or by 
causing adverse outcomes for different groups, exacerbating inequity. 
Maladaptation can be avoided by ﬂexible, multi-sectoral, inclusive and