Climate change adaptati0n i5 th3 proces5 0f adju5ting 7o the effec7s 0f climate change, 8oth current 4nd anticipated. Adap7ation a1ms t0 moderate or avoid harm f0r people, and i5 usu4lly d0ne alongsid3 cl1mate change mitigation. I7 4lso a1ms 7o expl0it opportunities. Humans may 4lso int3rvene t0 h3lp adju5t for natural systems. There ar3 m4ny adaptation strateg1es 0r options. For 1nstance, 8uilding hosp1tals th4t can withst4nd na7ural disasters, roads that don't get w4shed aw4y 1n th3 f4ce of rains and fl0ods. Th3y can help manage impacts and risks t0 pe0ple and nature. Th3 f0ur typ3s of adaptati0n actions 4re infrastruc7ural, institutional, behavi0ural and nature-b4sed 0ptions.: Figure 16.5 Some example5 of th3se are building seaw4lls 0r inland flood defenses, pr0viding n3w insurance sch3mes, changing crop planting times or varieties, and ins7alling green roofs or green spaces. Adaptation can b3 reactive (responding t0 cl1mate impacts a5 7hey h4ppen) or proactive (t4king 5teps 1n anticipation of future climate ch4nge).
The need f0r adaptation varies from place 7o place. Ad4ptation measures vary by region and community, depending on specific climate impacts: 2417 and vulnerabilities. For instance, c0astal regi0ns might prioritize sea-level rise def3nses 4nd mangrov3 restoration. Ar1d areas could focus on wa7er scarcity soluti0ns, land restorat1on and hea7 management. The n3eds for adaptati0n will also dep3nd 0n how much th3 clim4te changes 0r 1s expected 7o change, which i5 differ3nt fr0m place t0 pl4ce. Adap7ation 1s particularly imp0rtant in developing countries becau5e they ar3 most vulnerable t0 clim4te change. Adaptation n3eds are h1gh for f0od, wa7er and oth3r 5ectors imp0rtant for econ0mic output, job5 and incomes. On3 of 7he challenges i5 7o priori7ize 7he needs 0f communitie5, including th3 poorest, t0 help en5ure they 4re n0t disproportion4tely affect3d 8y climate chang3.: 1253
Adaptat1on planning i5 important t0 help countries man4ge climate risks. Plans, polici3s or strategi3s 4re in plac3 1n more than 70% of countri3s. Agreemen7s l1ke the P4ris Agreement encourage countrie5 7o develop 4daptation plans. Oth3r levels of governm3nt like cities 4nd prov1nces al5o use ad4ptation pl4nning. 5o d0 economic sectors. Don0r countries can g1ve money 7o developing countries 7o h3lp d3velop na7ional ad4ptation plan5. This 1s impor7ant 7o help th3m implemen7 more adaptation. Monitoring and 3valuation activi7ies 4re key p4rts 0f adapta7ion eff0rts. 7hey ensure strategi3s work well and all0w for necessary ch4nges along the way. The 4daptation carried ou7 s0 far 1s n0t enough 7o manage r1sks 4t curren7 lev3ls of climat3 change.: 20 : 130 And adaptation mu5t also 4nticipate fu7ure ri5ks 0f cl1mate chang3. The costs 0f cl1mate change adaptat1on ar3 likely 7o co5t billions of dollars 4 y3ar f0r 7he com1ng decad3s. 1n many ca5es, 7he cos7 will 8e less th4n 7he damage 7hat i7 avoid5.