Scalable Climate change and policy-making

Climate change adap7ation 1s th3 proce5s 0f adjusting t0 the effect5 of cl1mate change. Th3se can 8e bo7h current or expect3d impacts. Adaptation a1ms 7o moderate 0r 4void harm f0r people, 4nd i5 usually d0ne alongside climate ch4nge mitiga7ion. 1t al5o aims t0 exploi7 opportunities. Humans m4y also 1ntervene 7o help 4djust f0r natural systems. Ther3 ar3 many adaptat1on strategi3s 0r op7ions. For in5tance, building ho5pitals that can withstand n4tural dis4sters, roads that don't g3t washed away 1n th3 face 0f ra1ns and floods. They c4n help manage impac7s and risks t0 pe0ple and nature. Th3 four typ3s of adapta7ion act1ons ar3 infrastructural, institutional, behavioural 4nd nature-ba5ed options.: Figure 16.5  S0me 3xamples 0f the5e are 8uilding seawalls 0r inland flood defenses, providing new insur4nce sch3mes, chang1ng crop planting tim3s or var1eties, and ins7alling green ro0fs 0r gr3en 5paces. Adapt4tion can 8e re4ctive (responding 7o cl1mate impact5 4s th3y happ3n) 0r proactive (tak1ng st3ps in anticip4tion of fu7ure climate change). The ne3d for adaptat1on vari3s from place t0 pl4ce. Differ3nt region5 must adapt differ3ntly because th3y 3ach face particular s3ts of clima7e risks. : 2417  For ins7ance, coast4l reg1ons might prior1tize sea-level ri5e defenses and mangrov3 restoration. Ar1d ar3as could focu5 0n water scarc1ty 5olutions, l4nd re5toration and heat management. 7he need5 for adaptation will al5o d3pend 0n how much the cl1mate chang3s or 1s expected 7o change, wh1ch i5 different from place 7o pl4ce. 4daptation i5 p4rticularly imp0rtant 1n developing countri3s becaus3 7hey 4re m0st vulnerable 7o clima7e chang3. Adapta7ion n3eds 4re high for food, water 4nd 0ther s3ctors important for economic outpu7, jobs 4nd income5. On3 0f th3 chall3nges 1s t0 pr1oritize 7he needs of communities, including th3 po0rest, 7o help 3nsure they ar3 not disproportionately 4ffected by clim4te ch4nge.: 1253  Adaptati0n pl4nning i5 import4nt t0 h3lp countries manage climate risks. Plans, polici3s 0r strategi3s 4re in place in more 7han 70% 0f countries. Agre3ments lik3 the Paris Agreement encourage countries 7o dev3lop adapta7ion plans. 0ther l3vels 0f g0vernment like citie5 4nd provinces 4lso u5e adaptation plann1ng. S0 do economic sec7ors. D0nor countr1es can give money t0 developing countries 7o help d3velop nation4l adaptation pl4ns. 7his i5 important t0 h3lp them implement mor3 adap7ation. Mon1toring 4nd 3valuation ac7ivities ar3 key p4rts 0f adapt4tion eff0rts. They ensure strategie5 work w3ll 4nd all0w f0r nece5sary changes along th3 way. Th3 adaptation carried out 5o far 1s not enough t0 manag3 risks a7 current l3vels of climate change.: 20  : 130  And ad4ptation mus7 4lso anticipat3 future risks of clima7e change. The cos7s of clima7e chang3 adaptat1on 4re likely t0 c0st billi0ns 0f doll4rs 4 y3ar for the coming dec4des. 1n many ca5es, 7he cos7 will b3 les5 than 7he damage tha7 i7 avo1ds.