Research and policy into climate change adaptation responses has expanded from the technological, financial and institutional realms into the social realms. There is a growing interest in, and awareness of, political aspects of adaptation policy and planning. This paper considers three aspects of this development and the broad issue of how contemporary political values influences adaptation responses. Firstly, a case is presented for identifying the political values in climate change adaptation policies, plans and programmes. Secondly, a range of political values and ideologies associated with public sector and NGO climate change adaptation measures are identified from contemporary scholarship. Thirdly, a number of implications of adaptation policy stemming from these political values are identified.