Climate changes for adaptation

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: Climate change that has taken place so far threatens to be permanent. And if no measures are taken to check it, the rate of change will be faster, impacting more and more people worldwide.

In fact, millions will be at risk of hunger and water stress if emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) is not cut, says Geneva-based Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Recommends the IPCC in its recently released report Climate Change 2007: Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability: “A portfolio of adaptation and mitigation measures can diminish the risks associated with climate change.”

Adds IPCC chairman Rajendra K Pachauri, “It’s not adaptation versus mitigation. The impact of climate change is so severe that we have to do both. One without the other would not work.” IPCC’s next report due in May 2007 will focus on mitigation.

While adaptation helps cope with the problem at the tail-end, mitigation pre-empts the problem at the root.

Mitigation is the key if climate change is to be got under control, says James P Leape, director-general, WWF International.

He adds, “Adaptation is very important but does not address the root cause of climate change. Adaptation tries to develop economic and management answers to deal with the changes that are unavoidable.”

Even if the greenhouse gas tap is turned off today, there will be climate change due to the pollution already in the atmosphere, elaborates Achim Steiner, executive director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

He adds, “Therefore, we need to adapt to these changes and climate proof our economies, ranging from agriculture and healthcare to coastal infrastructure and fisheries.”

In the case of adaptation, the options are obvious. Do nothing and absorb the loss, substitute unsustainable activities with climate change friendly activities, relocate to a less vulnerable place or avoid the loss by adopting new measures.

Adoption solutions can vary from the traditional like building sea walls and rotating crops to the modern like installing early warning systems and using drought-resistant seeds.

Technology can play a very important role in adaptation through the development of more drought-resilient crops, water saving agricultural practices or new construction material, says Kristalina Georgieva, director for Strategy and Operations, Sustainable Development Vice-Presidency, The World Bank.