Mapping climate change adaptation policy instruments in European agriculture: a qualitative analysis of National Adaptation Strategy and National Adaptation Plan

Abstract Climate change poses an increasing threat to agricultural production and food security. While many European countries have developed National Adaptation Strategies (NASs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), the alignment between proposed policies and their supporting mechanisms remains under-explored. This study maps adaptation frameworks across ten European countries—Finland, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Latvia, and Lithuania—to clarify diverse national policies and identify how specific instruments are prioritized to address adaptation goals. Drawing upon 20 official documents available on the Climate-ADAPT platform and using ATLAS.ti for qualitative analysis, 131 climate adaptation policies in agriculture were extracted to form a thematic synthesis. Then, we determined which policy instruments (categorized into four groups: information-based, legal and regulatory, economic, and infrastructural and physical instruments) were associated with each policy. The findings indicate that while these frameworks provide strategic guidance, they place significant emphasis on information-based and awareness-raising measures. This suggests a distinct pattern in European climate governance: a preference for farmer engagement and voluntary action over more direct regulatory or economic interventions.