3.5.7.3   Adaptation to Climate Change

(This is an archived page, from the Patterns of Power Edition 3 book.  Current versions are at book contents).

Some people will need to change their lifestyles and erect defences to adapt to a changing climate, if they are to avoid the need to migrate to somewhere else to live.  The habitable parts of the planet already have occupants and it isn't easy to absorb migration.  There would be more time to adapt, and less extreme measures would be needed, if every country responds quickly enough to the issues described in the report referred to above (3.5.7.2): IPCC, 2018: Summary for Policymakers

That IPCC report, which recommends limiting the rise in global temperature above pre-industrial levels to 1.5°C, acknowledges that some adaptation will be necessary even if that target is met:

“Some vulnerable regions, including small islands and Least Developed Countries, are projected to experience high multiple interrelated climate risks even at global warming of 1.5°C (high confidence).” (Section B6.2)

It summarises some feasible adaptation options in section B6.1 and cross-references these to sections in the full report:

“A wide range of adaptation options are available to reduce the risks to natural and managed ecosystems (e.g., ecosystembased adaptation, ecosystem restoration and avoided degradation and deforestation, biodiversity management, sustainable aquaculture, and local knowledge and indigenous knowledge), the risks of sea level rise (e.g., coastal defence and hardening), and the risks to health, livelihoods, food, water, and economic growth, especially in rural landscapes (e.g., efficient irrigation, social safety nets, disaster risk management, risk spreading and sharing, and communitybased adaptation) and urban areas (e.g., green infrastructure, sustainable land use and planning, and sustainable water management) (medium confidence).”