{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T20:11:53Z","timestamp":1773951113623,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,13]],"date-time":"2025-02-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1739404800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"European Union\u2014NextGenerationEU","award":["BG-RRP-2.004-0008-C01"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["BG-RRP-2.004-0008-C01"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Climate"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Climate change is increasingly recognized as a significant issue facing humanity. The World Health Organization (WHO) designates climate change as the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century. Bulgaria is under imminent threat from climate change. The country is projected to experience a temperature increase of up to 4 \u00b0C by 2100. This will lead to changes in precipitation patterns, resulting in numerous consequences. These include reduced water storage, impacts on public health, disruptions in agricultural production, stress on the country\u2019s biodiversity and forests, damage to infrastructure and private property, changes in tourism patterns, and many other potential issues. Climate change has recently become a significant concern in Bulgaria due to its impact on ecosystems, the economy, society, and infrastructure. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the barriers to climate adaptation in Bulgaria, integrating sources from the literature with empirical data gathered from a survey. By employing cluster analysis, this research identifies five primary groups of barriers, offering a fresh perspective on the complexities involved in this process. The findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge on climate adaptation and hold the potential to guide policy development aimed at addressing these challenges.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/cli13020040","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,13]],"date-time":"2025-02-13T10:36:58Z","timestamp":1739443018000},"page":"40","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Perceptions of the Barriers to the Implementation of a Successful Climate Change Policy in Bulgaria"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0021-4896","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Antonina","family":"Atanasova","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Geology and Geography, Sofia University \u201cSt. Kliment Ohridski\u201d, 15 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kliment","family":"Naydenov","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Geology and Geography, Sofia University \u201cSt. Kliment Ohridski\u201d, 15 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cohen, S.J., and Waddell, M.W. (2009). Climate Change in the 21st Century, McGill-Queen\u2019s University Press-MQUP.","DOI":"10.1515\/9780773581296"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"571","DOI":"10.1007\/s00704-018-2622-2","article-title":"Factors affecting air temperature in Bulgaria","volume":"137","author":"Nojarov","year":"2019","journal-title":"Theoret. Appl. Climatol."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"(2024, April 09). National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan, Available online: https:\/\/www.moew.government.bg\/bg\/klimat\/mejdunarodni-pregovori-i-adaptaciya\/adaptaciya\/."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1005661622966","article-title":"An anatomy of adaptation to climate change and variability","volume":"45","author":"Smit","year":"2000","journal-title":"Clim. Change"},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Brooks, N. (2024, April 10). Vulnerability, Risk and Adaptation: A Conceptual Framework. Working Paper 38, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia, Norwich. Available online: https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/200032746_Vulnerability_Risk_and_Adaptation_A_Conceptual_Framework."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Parry, M.L. (2000). Assessment of Potential Effects and Adaptations for Climate Change in Europe: The Europe ACACIA Project Jackson Environment Institute, University of East Anglia."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"253","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gloenvcha.2006.04.002","article-title":"Resilience: The emergence of a perspective for social-ecological systems analyses","volume":"16","author":"Folke","year":"2006","journal-title":"Glob. Environ. Change"},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"(2024, July 10). State of the Global Climate 2020 Provisional Report. Available online: https:\/\/library.wmo.int\/viewer\/56241?medianame=2020_wmo_provisional-report-state-climate_en_#page=4&viewer=picture&o=bookmark&n=0&q=."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"230","DOI":"10.1016\/j.habitatint.2008.10.001","article-title":"The mitigation-adaptation dichotomy and the role of spatial planning","volume":"33","author":"Biesbroek","year":"2009","journal-title":"Habitat Int."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Orru, K., Tillmann, M., Ebi, K.L., and Orru, H. (2018). Making Administrative Systems Adaptive to Emerging Climate Change-Related Health Effects: Case of Estonia. Atmosphere, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/atmos9060221"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"66","DOI":"10.1080\/17565529.2012.661036","article-title":"The challenge of climate change adaptation in Guyana Clim. Dev","volume":"4","author":"Hickey","year":"2012","journal-title":"Clim. Dev."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gloenvcha.2006.05.001","article-title":"Lowe and Irene Lorenzoni, Danger Is All Around: Eliciting Expert Perceptions for Managing Climate Change through a Mental Models Approach","volume":"17","author":"Tom","year":"2007","journal-title":"Glob. Environ. Change"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ocecoaman.2010.10.008","article-title":"Adaptation Behavior in the Face of Global Climate Change: Survey Responses from Experts and Decision Makers Serving the Florida Keys","volume":"54","author":"Mozumder","year":"2011","journal-title":"Ocean. Coast. Manag."},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"European Environment Agency (EEA) (2024, September 04). Mitigating Climate Change\u2014SOER 2010; State and Outlook. Available online: https:\/\/www.eea.europa.eu\/soer\/2010\/europe\/mitigating-climate-change\/report_view."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"440","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gloenvcha.2010.03.005","article-title":"Europe Adapts to Climate Change: Comparing National Adaptation Strategies","volume":"20","author":"Biesbroek","year":"2009","journal-title":"Glob. Environ. Change"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"365","DOI":"10.1080\/17565529.2015.1064809","article-title":"The practice of integrating adaptation and disaster risk reduction in the south-west Pacific","volume":"8","author":"Nalau","year":"2015","journal-title":"Clim. Dev."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"863","DOI":"10.1080\/14693062.2017.1386082","article-title":"Climate change and the water\u2013energy\u2013food nexus: Insights from policy and practice in Tanzania","volume":"18","author":"Pardoe","year":"2018","journal-title":"Clim. Policy"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.2298\/SPAT1124001L","article-title":"Integrating climate change adaptation policies in spatial development planning in Serbia\u2014A challenging task ahead","volume":"24","author":"Bajec","year":"2011","journal-title":"Spatium"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1323","DOI":"10.1007\/s11027-006-9054-5","article-title":"Institutional dynamics and climate change adaptation in South Africa","volume":"12","author":"Koch","year":"2007","journal-title":"Mitig. Adapt. Strateg. Glob. Change"},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"CEC (2007). Adapting to Climate Change in Europe\u2013Options for EU Action (No. COM(2007) 354 Final {SEC(2007) 849}), Commission of the European Communities. Green Paper; From the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions."},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"CEC (2009). White Paper\u2014Adapting to Climate Change: Towards a European Framework for Action (COM(2009) 147 Final), Commission of the European Communities."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"282","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gloenvcha.2006.03.008","article-title":"Adaptation, adaptive capacity and vulnerability","volume":"16","author":"Smit","year":"2006","journal-title":"Glob. Environ. Change"},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"(2024, September 04). Available online: https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/RegData\/etudes\/BRIE\/2021\/689330\/EPRS_BRI%282021%29689330_EN.pdf."},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"(2024, June 15). IMF Country Report No. 22\/191. Available online: https:\/\/www.imf.org\/en\/Countries\/BGR."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"(2024, April 06). UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Available online: https:\/\/unfccc.int\/."},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"(2024, April 06). Kyoto Protocol. Available online: https:\/\/unfccc.int\/process-and-meetings\/the-kyoto-protocol\/what-is-the-kyoto-protocol\/kyoto-protocol-targets-for-the-first-commitment-period."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"\u0420\u0435\u043f\u0443\u0431\u043b\u0438\u043a\u0430 \u0411\u044a\u043b\u0433\u0430\u0440\u0438\u044f, \u041c\u0438\u043d\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432o \u043d\u0430 \u0435\u043d\u0435\u0440\u0433\u0435\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430\u0442\u0430, \u041c\u0438\u043d\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432o \u043d\u0430 o\u043ao\u043b\u043d\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u0441\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0430 \u0438 \u0432o\u0434\u0438\u0442\u0435 (2024, May 30). \u0418\u043d\u0442\u0435\u0433\u0440\u0438\u0440\u0430\u043d \u043f\u043b\u0430\u043d \u0432 o\u0431\u043b\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0442\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0435\u043d\u0435\u0440\u0433\u0435\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u0438 \u043a\u043b\u0438\u043c\u0430\u0442\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0420\u0435\u043f\u0443\u0431\u043b\u0438\u043a\u0430 \u0411\u044a\u043b\u0433\u0430\u0440\u0438\u044f 2021\u20132030 \u0433. (\u041d\u041f\u0415\u041a); \u0444\u0435\u0432\u0440\u0443\u0430\u0440\u0438 2020 \u0433., INTEGRATED PLAN IN THE FIELD OF ENERGY AND CLIMATE THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA. Available online: https:\/\/leap.unep.org\/en\/countries\/bg\/national-legislation\/integrated-energy-and-climate-plan-republic-bulgaria-2021-2030#:~:text=The%20Bulgarian%20Integrated%20energy%20and%20climate%20plan%20of,energy%20that%20have%20to%20be%20achieved%20by%202030."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"(2024, April 09). European Green Deal. Available online: https:\/\/commission.europa.eu\/strategy-and-policy\/priorities-2019-2024\/european-green-deal_en."},{"key":"ref_29","unstructured":"(2024, April 10). European Climate Law. Available online: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:32021R1119."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gheuens, J. (2023). Making the European Green Deal Work, Taylor & Francis Ltd.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781003246985-3"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9942","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-024-54221-1","article-title":"State capacity and varieties of climate policy","volume":"15","author":"Meckling","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nat. Commun."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"(2024, April 16). National Climate Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan. Available online: https:\/\/strategy.bg\/StrategicDocuments\/View.aspx?Id=1294."},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"(2024, April 11). \u0417\u0430\u043ao\u043d \u0437\u0430 \u041e\u0433\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0447\u0430\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0435 \u043d\u0430 \u0438\u0437\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435\u0442o \u043d\u0430 \u041a\u043b\u0438\u043c\u0430\u0442\u0430, Climate Change Mitigation Act, Available online: https:\/\/www.moew.government.bg\/bg\/zakon-za-ogranichavane-Izmenenieto-na-klimata\/."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gloenvcha.2006.05.002","article-title":"Vulnerability: A generally applicable conceptual framework for climate change research","volume":"17","year":"2007","journal-title":"Glob. Environ. Change"},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"Bantilan, M.C.S., and Mohan, G. (2024, July 04). Adaptation to Climate Change in Agriculture in Selected Asian Countries: Insights from Micro-Level Studies and Implications for Policy. Documentation. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. Available online: http:\/\/oar.icrisat.org\/id\/eprint\/7649."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"012048","DOI":"10.1088\/1755-1315\/329\/1\/012048","article-title":"Climate change and emerging risks. Innovative urban climate services as a strategy to improve resilience of human systems","volume":"329","author":"Bernardini","year":"2019","journal-title":"IOP Conf. Series Earth Environ. Sci."},{"key":"ref_37","first-page":"47","article-title":"Mainstreaming and beyond: Policy capacity","volume":"3","author":"Wellstead","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Sustain."},{"key":"ref_38","unstructured":"Masters, L., and Duff, L. (2011). Financial barriers to adaptation implementation: A South African case study on financing water adaptation. Overcoming Barriers to Climate Change Adaptation Implementation in Southern Africa, Africa Institute of South Africa."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"127","DOI":"10.1016\/j.landurbplan.2012.05.009","article-title":"Local government response to the impacts of climate change: An evaluation of local climate adaptation plans","volume":"107","author":"Baker","year":"2012","journal-title":"Landsc. Urban Plan."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22026","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1007887107","article-title":"A framework to diagnose barriers to climate change adaptation","volume":"107","author":"Moser","year":"2010","journal-title":"Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"493","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envsci.2011.01.001","article-title":"Mainstreaming climate adaptation into development assistance: Rationale institutional barriers and opportunities in Mozambique","volume":"14","author":"Sietz","year":"2011","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Pol."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.1163\/CL-2011-033","article-title":"Barriers to climate change adaptation in the Netherlands","volume":"2","author":"Biesbroek","year":"2011","journal-title":"Clim. Law"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"527","DOI":"10.1017\/S1744137417000509","article-title":"Archetypical barriers to adapting water governance in river basins to climate change","volume":"14","author":"Oberlack","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Institutional Econ."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104683","DOI":"10.1016\/j.worlddev.2019.104683","article-title":"The Hazards of Mainstreaming: Climate change adaptation politics in three dimensions","volume":"125","author":"Jamali","year":"2020","journal-title":"World Dev."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"889","DOI":"10.1007\/s11027-011-9301-2","article-title":"Adapting to climate change through local municipal planning: Barriers and challenges","volume":"Volume 16","author":"Measham","year":"2011","journal-title":"Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1007\/s10584-014-1318-6","article-title":"A participatory systems approach to understanding climate adaptation needs","volume":"129","author":"Ross","year":"2015","journal-title":"Clim. Change"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"439","DOI":"10.1080\/17565529.2015.1040365","article-title":"Pathways to transformational change in the face of climate impacts: An analytical framework","volume":"9","author":"Mapfumo","year":"2017","journal-title":"Clim. Dev."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"477","DOI":"10.1080\/01944363.2010.502047","article-title":"Bedsworth and Ellen Hanak, Adaptation to Climate Change: A Review of Challenges and Tradeoffs in Six Areas","volume":"76","author":"Louise","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Am. Plann. Assoc."}],"container-title":["Climate"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2225-1154\/13\/2\/40\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T16:33:08Z","timestamp":1760027588000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2225-1154\/13\/2\/40"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,13]]},"references-count":48,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2]]}},"alternative-id":["cli13020040"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/cli13020040","relation":{},"ISSN":["2225-1154"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2225-1154","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,13]]}}}