Unveiling patterns in the quality and consistency of climate adaptation plans of the Global Covenant of Mayors

Cities and urban areas are persistently praised for addressing climate impacts and risks, but metrics are lacking to check how cities fare on adaptation progress. This study introduces ADAQA-GCoM, a new tool designed to assess the quality of urban climate adaptation plans submitted to the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM). Applying ADAQA-GCoM to 2205 plans of the GCoM’s MyCovenant dataset reveals a substantial variation in quality, though consistent patterns emerge across components and regions. Cities generally perform well in terms of their Fact Base, Measures, Implementation, and Participation, but score lower in Goals, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), and Consistency. Weak goal-setting and M&E indicate persistent challenges in defining measurable objectives and tracking adaptation progress. While participation is a notable strength of the GCoM framework, its implementation remains inconsistent, particularly regarding the inclusion of vulnerable groups. High-scoring plans are rare, and plan quality shows no significant association with city size or national context, suggesting that GCoM’s standardized support helps bridge capacity gaps. Over time, scores for Goals, Measures, Implementation, and Participation have improved, while Fact Base and M&E have declined, likely due to shifting priorities and resources. The study demonstrates the usefulness of ADAQA-GCoM as a diagnostic and comparative tool towards more coherent, transparent, and effective urban climate adaptation planning worldwide.