Climate Change Adaptation refers to the process of responding to the impacts of climate change — both those already being felt today and those projected to occur in the future. Through adaptation, the damages anticipated from a changing climate and its effects can be mitigated or, in some cases, turned to advantage.
Ecologically, organisms evolve to suit their environments. Animals and plants have no choice but to respond effectively to new conditions and change in order to survive in altered environments — in other words, they employ a strategy of minimizing risk.
[Climate Change Adaptation ⓒESG.ONL]
Every change carries the potential for both crisis and opportunity. Humans, too, seek to identify new potential opportunities amid the crises brought about by climate change, and to pursue the maximization of opportunity through socioeconomic adaptation. We may adapt by preserving the fundamental nature of existing systems while adjusting to change, or by modifying the properties of those systems in direct response to climate change. For example, when faced with water scarcity, societies reduce water consumption, select and develop crop varieties suited to drier climates, and transform their approaches accordingly. Industries develop products less dependent on water, while cities establish new building codes and early warning systems to respond to emerging risks. Governments draw up emergency response plans and build frameworks to address new disease outbreaks driven by environmental change.
Despite humanity's efforts, the outlook for global warming remains far from optimistic. For this reason, climate change adaptation increasingly takes the form of creating new business sectors that transform crisis into opportunity, and of leveraging climate challenges as a catalyst for strengthening national competitiveness. Climate change adaptation is, ultimately, the collective wisdom of all living things on Earth — preparing for the climate impacts of both the present and the future.
by Editor O