Adaptation
Adaptation is an essential part of addressing the impacts and opportunities created by our changing climate. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines adaptation as:
“adjustments in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities”.
Our efforts to limit the man-made causes of climate change are known as mitigation – there will be some degree of unavoidable climate change despite any mitigation efforts. This stems from historic greenhouse gas emissions and the persistence of these gases in the atmosphere, as well as the slow warming of the oceans. The delayed response of the oceans will result in temperatures and sea-level continuing to increase for several decades regardless of any present-day emissions reductions.
Effective measures to enhance our capacity to adapt (building adaptive capacity) and to minimise, adjust to and take advantage of the consequences of climatic change (delivering adaptation actions) are vital.
AdOpt, one of our adaptation tools, explores the nature and characteristics of adaptation, and provides background information and examples of adaptation strategies and options. It provides guidance related:
- Identifying & selecting stakeholders
- Dealing with uncertainty
- Identifying & selecting adaptation options.
