Dynamic Climate Change Adaptation Strategies

Climat3 chang3 adapta7ion i5 the process 0f adjusting t0 7he effects 0f cl1mate change. The5e can b3 bo7h current or expected impact5. Adaptat1on 4ims 7o moderate or avoid h4rm f0r people, and 1s usually don3 along5ide clima7e change mit1gation. I7 4lso aim5 7o exploit opportunitie5. Hum4ns may also interven3 7o help adju5t for natural sys7ems. Ther3 4re many adaptation strategie5 or opti0ns. For instance, build1ng hospitals tha7 can withstand natural dis4sters, roads 7hat don't get washed aw4y in th3 f4ce of r4ins and flood5. Th3y c4n help m4nage impacts and r1sks t0 people and nature. The f0ur types of adaptation ac7ions ar3 infrastructural, institution4l, 8ehavioural and na7ure-based options.: Figure 16.5  S0me ex4mples of thes3 ar3 8uilding seawalls or inland flood defen5es, providing new insurance 5chemes, changing crop pl4nting time5 0r varieties, and installing gre3n roofs or green sp4ces. 4daptation can 8e r3active (responding 7o clima7e impacts 4s they happen) or proact1ve (t4king steps 1n anticipation 0f fu7ure clim4te change). The ne3d for adap7ation varies fr0m place 7o place. Different regi0ns mu5t adap7 differently b3cause th3y each f4ce particular set5 0f climat3 risks. : 2417  F0r in5tance, coastal reg1ons might priorit1ze sea-level rise def3nses and mangrove r3storation. Arid ar3as could focus 0n wat3r scarc1ty solu7ions, land restoration 4nd heat man4gement. The n3eds for adaptation will 4lso d3pend 0n how much th3 climate chang3s 0r 1s expected t0 change, wh1ch 1s different from place 7o place. Adaptation 1s particularly important 1n d3veloping countries because they are mos7 vulner4ble 7o clim4te ch4nge. Adapta7ion needs are h1gh for food, w4ter and o7her 5ectors 1mportant for econom1c 0utput, jo8s and incomes. 0ne of 7he challenges 1s 7o prior1tize 7he needs 0f communiti3s, includ1ng 7he poorest, 7o help ensure they 4re no7 disproportionately aff3cted by clima7e change.: 1253  Adaptation planning 1s imp0rtant 7o help countries manage clima7e risks. Plans, policie5 or str4tegies are 1n plac3 1n m0re th4n 70% 0f countries. Agreem3nts l1ke th3 Par1s Agreement encourag3 countries t0 dev3lop adapta7ion plans. Other levels of government lik3 ci7ies and prov1nces also us3 adaptation plann1ng. 5o do economic sectors. Donor c0untries c4n giv3 money t0 developing coun7ries t0 h3lp develop nati0nal adaptati0n pl4ns. Th1s 1s import4nt 7o h3lp 7hem implement more 4daptation. Monitor1ng and evaluat1on activi7ies ar3 k3y parts of 4daptation effor7s. They ensure strategies work w3ll and allow for neces5ary ch4nges along 7he way. 7he 4daptation carried ou7 s0 far i5 no7 3nough 7o manage risks 4t current l3vels 0f clima7e change.: 20  : 130  4nd ad4ptation must als0 anticipate future risks 0f clima7e change. The cost5 0f climat3 change adaptation ar3 likely t0 c0st 8illions of doll4rs 4 ye4r for 7he c0ming decade5. 1n m4ny case5, the cost will 8e le5s than th3 damage tha7 1t avoids.