Essays on Adaptation to Environmental Change

This dissertation investigates how communities respond to environmental risks and how public policy can support climate adaptation. The first chapters examine how flood risk communication influences household preparedness in the Netherlands, revealing gaps between objective flood risk, risk perception, and private adaptation behavior. Experimental evidence shows that providing risk information does not necessarily increase preparedness, as individuals may misjudge risks, avoid information, or distrust authorities. The dissertation also critically evaluates how the success of nature-based solutions is defined and assessed, highlighting the role of governance, monitoring frameworks, and stakeholder perspectives. Finally, using administrative and remote sensing data from Brazil, the study analyzes how different drought patterns affect agricultural land use and crop choices, demonstrating that persistent droughts can lead to long-term shifts in farming strategies and land allocation.