This article presents a systematic framework to identify barriers that may impede the process of adaptation to climate change. The framework targets the process of planned adaptation and focuses on potentially challenging but malleable barriers. Three key sets of components create the architecture for the framework. First, a staged depiction of an idealized, rational approach to adaptation decision-making makes up the process component. Second, a set of interconnected structural elements includes the actors, the larger context in which they function (e.g., governance), and the object on which they act (the system of concern that is exposed to climate change). At each of these stages, we ask (i) what could impede the adaptation process and (ii) how do the actors, context, and system of concern contribute to the barrier. To facilitate the identification of barriers, we provide a series of diagnostic questions. Third, the framework is completed by a simple matrix to help locate points of intervention to overcome a given barrier. It provides a systematic starting point for answering critical questions about how to support climate change adaptation at all levels of decision-making. Adaptation involves changes in social-ecological systems in response to actual and expected impacts of climate change in the context of interacting nonclimatic changes. Adaptation strategies and actions can range from short-term coping to longer-term, deeper transformations, aim to meet more than climate change goals alone, and may or may not succeed in moderating harm or exploiting beneficial opportunities. Barriers are defined here as obstacles that can be overcome with concerted effort, creative management, change of thinking, prioritization, and related shifts in resources, land uses, institutions, etc. Many seeming limits, especially social ones, are in fact malleable barriers; they can be overcome with sufficient political will, social support, resources, and effort. The framework includes a process component, structural elements, and a matrix to identify and overcome barriers. The process of adaptation includes understanding, planning, and managing phases. Each phase includes stages where barriers may arise. Structural elements include actors, context, and the system of concern. Barriers may arise from any of these components. Common barriers in the understanding phase include lack of awareness, difficulty in detecting signals, and misinterpretation of information. In the planning phase, barriers include difficulty in defining goals, lack of leadership, and jurisdictional conflicts. In the managing phase, barriers include implementation challenges, lack of resources, and communication issues. The framework also considers crosscutting issues such as leadership, resources, communication, and values that influence adaptation processes. Overcoming barriers requires understanding their sources and scales of influence. The framework provides a matrix to locate points of intervention to overcome barriers. The framework aims to provide a systematic approach to identifying and overcoming barriers to climate change adaptation. It is designed to be applicable to a wide range of adaptation cases and to help decision-makers understand and address the challenges in the adaptation process. The framework is not a prescriptive list of necessary conditions butThis article presents a systematic framework to identify barriers that may impede the process of adaptation to climate change. The framework targets the process of planned adaptation and focuses on potentially challenging but malleable barriers. Three key sets of components create the architecture for the framework. First, a staged depiction of an idealized, rational approach to adaptation decision-making makes up the process component. Second, a set of interconnected structural elements includes the actors, the larger context in which they function (e.g., governance), and the object on which they act (the system of concern that is exposed to climate change). At each of these stages, we ask (i) what could impede the adaptation process and (ii) how do the actors, context, and system of concern contribute to the barrier. To facilitate the identification of barriers, we provide a series of diagnostic questions. Third, the framework is completed by a simple matrix to help locate points of intervention to overcome a given barrier. It provides a systematic starting point for answering critical questions about how to support climate change adaptation at all levels of decision-making. Adaptation involves changes in social-ecological systems in response to actual and expected impacts of climate change in the context of interacting nonclimatic changes. Adaptation strategies and actions can range from short-term coping to longer-term, deeper transformations, aim to meet more than climate change goals alone, and may or may not succeed in moderating harm or exploiting beneficial opportunities. Barriers are defined here as obstacles that can be overcome with concerted effort, creative management, change of thinking, prioritization, and related shifts in resources, land uses, institutions, etc. Many seeming limits, especially social ones, are in fact malleable barriers; they can be overcome with sufficient political will, social support, resources, and effort. The framework includes a process component, structural elements, and a matrix to identify and overcome barriers. The process of adaptation includes understanding, planning, and managing phases. Each phase includes stages where barriers may arise. Structural elements include actors, context, and the system of concern. Barriers may arise from any of these components. Common barriers in the understanding phase include lack of awareness, difficulty in detecting signals, and misinterpretation of information. In the planning phase, barriers include difficulty in defining goals, lack of leadership, and jurisdictional conflicts. In the managing phase, barriers include implementation challenges, lack of resources, and communication issues. The framework also considers crosscutting issues such as leadership, resources, communication, and values that influence adaptation processes. Overcoming barriers requires understanding their sources and scales of influence. The framework provides a matrix to locate points of intervention to overcome barriers. The framework aims to provide a systematic approach to identifying and overcoming barriers to climate change adaptation. It is designed to be applicable to a wide range of adaptation cases and to help decision-makers understand and address the challenges in the adaptation process. The framework is not a prescriptive list of necessary conditions but