BaCCC/Module 6/Lesson 1/Part 1
Contents
Module 6, Lesson 1: What Is Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience? Part 1
Introduction
Climate change has been called a threat multiplier, a stress multiplier and a crisis multiplier – and it is not because climate change is good at arithmetic! This lesson introduces you to adaptation and resilience to the threats and stresses of the climate emergency. You will be developing your own definitions (which will be useful if or when you serve as a climate champion).
You will then learn the difference between adaptation strategies and mitigation strategies. And finally, you will look at the history of adaptation strategies in your region, and what is happening around the world today.
Terminology
The following terms are important in understanding the science behind climate change. If you want to remember them, write their meanings in your learning journal as you encounter them in the course content.
- adaptation
- mitigation
- multiplier
- resilience
- strategies
Defining climate change adaptation and resilience
According to Canada’s Ministry of Natural Resources, climate change adaptation refers to actions that reduce the negative impacts of climate change.
| “ | Adaptation can be reactive, occurring in response to climate impacts, or anticipatory, occurring before impacts of climate change are observed. In most circumstances, anticipatory adaptations will result in lower long-term costs and be more effective than reactive adaptations.
The actions taken today by towns and cities to enhance community resilience to climate change will greatly influence their ability to meet future sustainability goals, as well as to pay for the human and economic costs of climate-related impacts. |
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| —Government of Canada, 2015 | ||
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"Adaptation is adjusting to actual or expected climate change or its effects. Adaptation means responding to the current risks while building future resilience at the same time. It means understanding that from now on, you’re living in a changed environment." — Juan Pablo Hoffmaister, Co-Chair, UNFCCC Adaptation Committee "The way we’ve been doing things in the past is just no longer going to be possible in the future. Adaptation is the invitation that we’re being given to change behaviours and consumption and production patterns that we have had for 100 to 150 years, that are simply no longer sustainable." — Christiana Figueres, former Executive Secretary, UNFCCC "Adaptation is adjusting to actual or expected climate or its effects. It responds to the risks, while at the same time building future resilience." — Adapting to a Changing Climate (video narration) "Throughout history, humankind has adapted to changes in climate by adapting to the available sources of food, housing, clothing, water or warmth. Today, however, climate change is causing changes faster than vulnerable populations and ecosystems can cope with and adapt to." — Adapting to a Changing Climate (video narration) "We need to make a lot of investments in adaptation. We look at adaptation costs as an investment." — Quamrul Chowdhury, UNFCCC Adaptation Committee "The second core finding from the IPCC report is slightly better news: investments in adaptation work. As climate impacts worsen – and they will – scaling up investments will be essential for survival. Adaptation and mitigation must be pursued with equal force and urgency. That’s why I have been pushing to get to 50 per cent of all climate finance for adaptation." — António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General "We must press to remove the obstacles that prevent small island states and least developed countries from getting the finance they desperately need to save lives and livelihoods. We need new eligibility systems to deal with this new reality. Delay means death." — António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General "Adaptation is smart. Every $1 invested in adaptation could yield up to $10 in net economic benefits, depending on the activity, according to a report from the Global Commission on Adaptation. The benefits of adaptation measures are obvious and save money in the long run, but they require up-front costs that are a struggle for many developing economies." — Adam Behsudi, International Monetary Fund "Our main adaptation to the climate emergency should be global cooperation." — Julie Johnston "Solving the climate crisis isn’t just about cutting carbon emissions. It’s about protecting people from harm. Basically, it means adjusting how we live, work, and play to keep us safe from the impacts of climate change." — Union of Concerned Scientists |
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"Resilience is the capacity of individuals and families, communities and ecosystems to be able to bounce back and recover from change. An essential component of that is learning." — Juan Pablo Hoffmaister, Co-Chair, UNFCCC Adaptation Committee "What we all want is a vision of a climate-resilient future where, in fact, all rights to food, to water, to health, education and life are protected. Where women are safe and empowered and secure, and contributing equally with men." — Mary Robinson, United Nations Special Envoy for Climate Change "Climate resilience is generally considered to be the ability to recover from, or to mitigate vulnerability to, climate-related shocks such as floods and droughts. It is a political process that strengthens the ability of all to mitigate vulnerability to risks from, and adapt to changing patterns in, climate hazards and variability." — Wikipedia "Communities . . . face climate adaptation challenges. Interdisciplinary teams of scientists have been developing decision-support tools to help citizens understand impacts, consider options, and take action to reduce their vulnerabilities." — NOAA, United States "Helping countries sustainably finance these investments is critical for adaptation and will help public finances in the long run. Reducing climate vulnerability by investing in resilience can put a lid on climate risk premiums." — Adam Behsudi, International Monetary Fund "Sometimes, building resilience is about revitalization: repurposing, renewing, reconnecting." — Storm Cunningham "Climate resilience is the capacity of social, economic and ecosystems to cope with hazardous events or trends or disturbances. The key focus of increasing climate resilience is to reduce the climate vulnerability that communities, states, and countries currently have with regards to the many effects of climate change." — Wikipedia "The ability to prepare for, recover from, and adapt to these impacts is called climate resilience. Extreme weather events have shown that resilience is an essential component of any comprehensive climate action program because climate change is both a global and a hyper-local issue. The good news is that addressing these risks can not only protect people and property, but also generate economic activity that will create domestic jobs and drive prosperity." — Center for Climate and Energy Solutions "Currently, efforts to build climate resilience encompass social, economic, technological, and political strategies that are being implemented at all scales of society. It aims to reduce climate change vulnerability and includes considerations of climate justice and equity." — Wikipedia "We’re in a climate crisis. As the world warms, people across the globe face daunting new challenges, on a scale never seen before. To withstand those challenges – and to thrive – we need climate resilience. Climate resilience is about successfully coping with and managing the impacts of climate change while preventing those impacts from growing worse. A climate resilient society would be low-carbon and equipped to deal with the realities of a warmer world." — Union of Concerned Scientists |
