Published: June 29, 2020. Visit us on Twitter Wetlands filter toxins out of the water and are home to juveniles of many species. And preparation varies city by city, so things could be completely different for two cities that are only a few hundred miles apart. This is why, while adaptation is a crucial strategy for dealing with climate change, it can’t be the only one. Climate change’s effects are already being felt today, so adapting will be necessary—and it doesn't have to hurt. Extreme weather events could force people to move within their own country or flee across borders, … This is especially difficult in places that are also facing extreme climate impacts. In face of gradual shifts in the climate, some people may choose to migrate as a way of adapting. The better equipped a place is, the less vulnerable it is—even if it has a lot of exposure. For decades, IIED has worked to empower communities to adapt to climate change, and help share knowledge developed by local communities, academics and project managers so that communities can better cope with climate … Public health and emergency medical services also help keep people safe. In terms of adaptation measures, there are several actions that help reducing vulnerability to the consequences of climate change: More secure facility locations and infrastructures Landscape … Adaptation to climate change vs development It has been argued by some that adaptation to climate change is just the same as development (or even sustainable development, or more recently climate"“resilient development). Explore how building resilience can have a silver lining. Heat waves are becoming more of a hazard in some areas. Is it hilly or flat, which relates to how much flooding a city experiences? Developing nations with limited financial resources are less able to adapt to climate change. Adaptation can range from a farmer planting more drought-resistant crops to a coastal community evaluating how best to protect its infrastructure from rising sea level. The latter … The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers. There are all kinds of smart, sensible ways that adaptation can help us today as well as in the future. Explore how building resilience can have a silver lining. Indigenous communities, particularly in the North, are having to adapt to unprecedented environmental changes that are increasing in speed and severity. Ok, now let’s consider vulnerability, which comes down to how prepared a city is for disaster. For more information, view the Community based Adaptation to Climate Change Through Costal Afforestation Project Website. National corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Draper. Kai Ryssdal and Maria Hollenhorst Dec 22, 2020. Aired: 06/29/20 Climate change adaptation – building up countries’ and communities’ resilience in the face of climate change impacts – is a key pillar of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. As these communities begin to grapple with a changing environment, strategic investments can increase resiliency and support adaptation while simultaneously advancing community … The way communities adapt to climate change will depend on how climate change is affecting the region where that community is located because the impacts of climate change are not the same everywhere. Even as communities attempt to adapt to climate change, many are also working to reduce the amount of heat-trapping carbon pollution they create in the first place. It's a long term partnership with decision makers. CoastAdapt, released in May 2017, is an online tool to support local governments and businesses to identify, assess and respond to climate risks in the coastal zone. Climate adaptation strategies range from individual to local, national, and global efforts. There are often technological and financial factors that limit how much we can adapt. For example, homes raised up on stilts and floating houses help prevent the threat of floodwater. Through knowledge sharing … On the other hand, if that same hurricane makes landfall somewhere densely populated—say, Houston a lot of people would be in harm's way. Changes in the amount of precipitation are making farming a challenge. Narrator: Building resilience now can help us live with some of the consequences of a changing climate. National Center for Atmospheric Research It might be social resilience. It exacerbates the extremes—meaning it will make disasters more disastrous or more frequent. Due to climate change, some places are receiving more precipitation, while others are receiving less. If it’s sparsely populated, there’s low exposure. It’s also used to make ethanol and fed to farm animals. The ability to adapt is not equal between all people because adaptation requires money. It’s also used to make ethanol and fed to farm animals.Credit: Wikimedia Commons. In a warmer climate, dangerous heat waves are becoming longer and more frequent. A massive barrier is moved across the Thames River to prevent flooding during extremely high tides in London and the surrounding area.Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Managing natural resources and ensuring that environments are healthy benefits all of us. Both near coasts and inland, improving stormwater drainage can help keep communities from flooding as climate change increases the amount of precipitation during storms. So as more and more people are exposed to a growing list of climate disasters, can we decrease our vulnerability? Adaptation to climate change is a strategy with the ultimate goal of avoiding harm and costs that can arise from doing business as usual without taking climate change into consideration. Sorghum can tolerate low water conditions. Shade trees can help keep things cool, and so can roofs with plants installed, which are called green roofs. Some adaptations are fueled by changes in government policies. It might be physical resilience, in terms of building places for the water to go when it floods. How Communities Can Adapt to Climate Change. And we can’t fully predict what all the consequences will be, nor how they’ll affect us. If a hurricane somewhere in the Atlantic makes landfall in an unpopulated area, there is no exposure. Community-based adaptation to climate change is a community-led process, based on communities’ priorities, needs, knowl- edge, and capacities, which should empower people to plan for and cope with … CoastAdapt was developed by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility and funded by the Australian Government. It improves our wellbeing and our safety. Radley Horton: I work with the city to help them understand how climate risks are going to change. According to the 2020 Adaptation Gap Report, released on Thursday by the UN Environment Programme (), as temperatures rise and climate change impacts intensify, nations must urgently step up action to adapt to the new climate … We pair these things together with the priorities people have and that helps identify the most sensible actions to build resilience. How insuring ecosystems could help communities adapt to climate change . To reduce the risk, communities can map the hazards, put warning systems in place, and create evacuation routes and storm shelters. This monitoring station in Alexandria, Virginia, US, allows scientists to ensure that restored wetlands remain healthy. The more we can mitigate climate change to reduce the amount of warming, the less we will need to adapt. Climate change adaptation is the process of adjusting to current or expected climate change and its effects. 1 While some coastal communities may experience benefits from a changing climate change, adapting to and capitalizing on these benefits is outside the scope of this document. A good drainage system? Narrator: Climate change takes the environmental challenges a community is already exposed to and makes them worse. Do they have the economic resources and access to information to protect themselves and to make decisions? Transcript. Keeping with the hurricane example, does Houston have accurate flood maps? Climate changes can make it more difficult for communities to maintain air quality that protect human health and the environment. Decentralize Energy Distribution. Climate adaptation protects people and places by making them less vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The goal of mitigation is to avoid significant human interference with the climate system, an… As cities adapt to climate change, poor and marginalized populations are often pushed into more environmentally risky areas, ... A growing number of seed programs is atempting to connect Indigenous communities … Continuing with our Degrees of Change series, some of the communities most vulnerable to impacts of climate change are Indigenous people for historical economic, political, and cultural … A super grain, sorghum is high in protein, antioxidants, and fiber. Narrator: Climate change may be a global issue, but how it affects us depends on where we live. Environment Countries must 'urgently' adapt to climate change, UN warns. Classroom Activity: Mitigation vs Adaptation. This can mean too little or too much water, making it difficult to ensure consistent access to safe drinking water. monitoring station in Alexandria, Virginia, US, allows scientists to ensure that restored wetlands remain healthy. Scientists like Hayhoe think that building resilience to the challenges we already face today is how we adapt to a changing climate. Since 2012, the city of Vancouver has had an evolving Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and, within this, a Rain Strategy that aims to protect residents as incidents of extreme rainfall … If you’re in Chicago and experience intense summer heat, you’re not going to be so concerned with, say, rising sea levels. Adaptation refers to how communities anticipate, plan, and prepare for a changing climate. The Adaptation Strategies below offer possible ways to address … Below are examples of several types of climate adaptations. Managing fisheries and setting fishing quotas helps ensure that fish are not overharvested. Poor and vulnerable people are particularly affected by climate change impacts, such as floods, droughts and other extreme weather events. The Paris … The plants also pull heat-trapping carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere through photosynthesis. The way communities adapt to climate change will depend on how climate change is affecting the region where that community is located because the impacts of climate change are not the same everywhere. Restoring and protecting ecosystems helps wildlife deal with the changing climate. Project Details Through alignment with a substantive forestry project … Also, homes can be built in ways that reduce the chance of flooding. Narrator: Think of exposure as the presence of humans and their communities. To survive and thrive, we need to adapt as the climate changes and also limit the amount of warming by reducing greenhouse gases. … Globally coordinated efforts to adapt, which ensure that as many places as possible are livable, can help as climate change causes people to migrate to new places. Follow us on social to watch our episodes that explore other climate change solutions. For humans, this includes mitigating harm and exploiting opportunities; for natural systems, … One way to think about adaptation is to boil it down to a location's exposure and vulnerability. Climate variability will negatively impact countries’ electricity … Farmers are adapting their techniques, planting drought-resistant crops, and making irrigation more efficient. Wetlands filter toxins out of the water and are home to juveniles of many species. So, Houston has high exposure. Using indigenous, traditional, and local methods can help ensure that natural resources are managed sustainably. Despite stronger storms and hotter heat waves, world leaders have not spent enough money adapting to the 'new climate … Horton: Sometimes what is maybe most central to vulnerability has to do with the people themselves. Mitigation – reducing climate change – involves reducing the flow of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, either by reducing sources of these gases (for example, the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat or transport) or enhancing the “sinks” that accumulate and store these gases (such as the oceans, forests and soil). Communities can adapt by building water storage systems, creating regulations to keep water safe, and using desalination technology to create freshwater in coastal areas prone to drought. However, both mitigation and adaptation are necessary as we respond to climate change. Asking them things like how have extreme weather events in the past impacted you? Katharine Hayhoe: A heat wave, a drought, a flood, a hurricane, a storm, or more, what vulnerabilities are they concerned about? Taking steps to adapt to climate change can make us more resilient, which means we’re more able to cope with the changes. Climate change is … Improved multi-sectoral engagement (environment, health, water, agriculture) to respond to the many challenges that climate change is already bringing to these vulnerable communities. How Communities Can Adapt to Climate Change. It might be economic resilience. Engineering and planning can provide ways for regions to adapt as the environment changes. Research & Production: Haley Apicella, Sukee Bennett, Ari Daniel, Robin Kazmier, Christina Monnen, and Caitlin Saks, Footage: Storyblocks, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center. The plants also pull heat-trapping carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere through photosynthesis.Credit: Wikimedia Commons. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Visit us on Facebook The ability to adapt can help keep us safe. Coast… Major funding for NOVA is provided by the David H. Koch Fund for Science, the NOVA Science Trust, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers. Environment Connecting the Dots Once derided, ways of adapting to climate change are gaining steam Recognition is spreading that communities need to build resilience to climatic and … The green roof on Chicago City Hall insulates the building as it helps keep the surrounding area cool, addressing climate change and lowering the impact of urban heat islands.Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Hayhoe: Building climate resilience can actually improve the quality of our lives. REGIONAL IMPACTS OF AND VULNERABILITIES TO CLIMATE CHANGE 18 4.1 Africa 18 4.2 Asia 20 4.3 Latin America 22 4.4 Small island developing States 24 V. ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE 29 5.1 Adaptation strategies, plans and programmes 29 5.2 Local coping strategies 35 5.3 Funding for adaptation … Climate models, which provide scenarios of future climate change, can help us understand the impacts of climate change that we need to adapt to, allowing us to plan so that communities can be less vulnerable to climate change. A super grain, sorghum is high in protein, antioxidants, and fiber. For many, the concept of “adapting” to climate change feels like admitting defeat. Narrator: Climate change may be a global issue, but how it affects us depends on where we live.If … But as increased risks to people and communities become apparent, it is essential. Sorghum can tolerate low water conditions. Wetlands can be built to buffer a coast. Coral reefs, which are threatened by rising ocean temperatures, … 2 This guide is only one of a number of guides to adaptation … Hayhoe: And then, I as the climate scientist look at how these different events are changing. ways to better adapt to the future impacts of climate change. As climate change causes the sea level to rise, seawalls and levees can help limit flooding of coastal communities. Therefore, it is important to consider climate change adaptation with respect to social development, ensuring that building the capacities and assets of individuals and communities reflects the nature of sustainability, as well as encouraging adaptation … For example, hurricanes are becoming stronger, storms are becoming rainier, heat waves are becoming hotter and longer, and the risk of wildfire is increasing. It decreases our vulnerability. On the other hand, if you’re in Miami, rising seas are a real threat. A desalination plant in Adelaide, Australia, creates fresh water from seawater in an arid climate.Credit: Wikimedia Commons. For example, healthy wetlands filter water, are home to juvenile fish and crustaceans, and buffer the coast during storms. To adapt, people can outfit buildings with more insulation and efficient cooling technologies. Communities are also making changes to improve food storage and preservation and running food banks to help distribute food to people in need. Climate change’s effects are already being felt today, so adapting will be necessary—and it doesn't have to hurt. IV. At the same time, Indigenous communities are leading the way in innovative health-related climate change adaptation work, using traditional knowledges and novel approaches. This issue of the Community Development Innovation Review offers strategies that address climate change risk in low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities. While such a case can indeed be made, I will argue that adaptation to climate change … Visit us on Instagram, A massive barrier is moved across the Thames River to prevent flooding during extremely high tides in London and the surrounding area, A desalination plant in Adelaide, Australia, creates fresh water from seawater in an arid climate, The green roof on Chicago City Hall insulates the building as it helps keep the surrounding area cool, addressing climate change and lowering the impact of urban heat islands. It can improve our air quality and our water quality, reduce our pollution levels, improve our health. Other adaptations occur because of technological advances. But, if we need to adapt to climate change’s worst-case scenario, it will require an enormous shift in the world order. For example, to protect against sea level rise and increased flooding, communities might build seawalls or relocate buildings to higher ground. Adapting to climate change and its impacts is a big challenge. > Classroom Activity: Mitigation vs Adaptation? It’s complicated, which is why climate scientists Radley Horton and Katharine Hayhoe are partnering with cities to help them develop adaptation strategies. For example, in some areas, climate change is causing floods to become more frequent, while in other areas, drought is becoming more common. There are also places where the amount of water is inconsistent throughout the year. Climate change adaptation goes beyond resilience by taking actions to address future risks. Horton: What are the events that keep you up at night? The sort of almost-disasters. To help people bounce back after hazards, communities can build disaster funds, and individuals can make sure they have enough insurance. Climate change is increasing the risk of disasters. The national climate change feels like admitting defeat safe drinking water buildings to ground. 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