mitigation and adaptation

Mitigation

Mitigation involves actions reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases. Its aim is to reduce future climate change by slowing the rate of increase in (or even reducing) greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. It is defined by the IPCC as 'Technological change and substitution that reduce resource inputs and emissions per unit of output. Although several social, economic and technological policies would produce an emission reduction, with respect to climate change, mitigation means implementing policies to reduce GHG emissions and enhance sinks.' (Verbruggen 2007 p. 818).

Mitigation cannot stop climate change and climate change impacts from happening as (a) the greenhouse gases already released into the atmosphere will remain there for many years and (b) they will take many years to work through to some climate impacts, for example, the relatively slow absorption of heat by the oceans (from the atmosphere) means that global sea level rise is a slow process.

Increased climate change impacts must be expected in the future as a result of the delayed impact from greenhouse gases already released into the atmosphere and the continued release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere in the future. Despite increasing concerns about climate change and recognition of the need for mitigation, greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase and governments face major challenges in agreeing on the necessary emission reductions and on effective means of making such reductions. This makes adaptation, the other major response to climate, very important.

 

 

Adaptation

Adaptation involves adjustments that reduce (or aim to reduce) the negative human impacts of climate change. It is defined by the IPCC as 'Initiatives and measures to reduce the vulnerability of natural and human systems against actual or expected climate change effects. Various types of adaptation exist, for example, anticipatory and reactive, private and public, and autonomous and planned. Examples are raising river or coastal dykes, the substitution of more temperature shock resistant plants for sensitive ones, etc.' (Verbruggen 2007 p. 809).

Systems' or people's ability to adapt to a climate threat depends upon their adaptive capacity (the resources or assets - human, natural, social, and physical - available for adaptive responses) and the extent of adaptation required to eliminate, or reduce to an acceptable level, the adverse consequences of that threat.

The IPCC makes it clear that

• adaptation is necessary to address impacts of climate change as a result of inevitable warming due to past emissions
• adaptation cannot cope with anticipated climate change impacts in the future unless there is significant mitigation (a target of mitigation to prevent surface temperature rising more than 2 ^oC above pre-industrial levels is often taken to be a practical target, although this is not without risks and controversy)
• both adaptation and mitigation are needed and can be effective in a portfolio of measures to reduce the risks and threats associated with climate change