Mitigation and adaptation: two sides of the climate coin
Written by Yuv Sungkur
In the battle against climate change, two fundamental strategies stand out: mitigation and adaptation. Like two sides of the same coin, these approaches work in tandem to tackle the challenges posed by a warming planet.
The development and use of renewable energy is one of the most important ways of mitigating the effects of climate change. Wind power is one of the fastest-growing sources of renewable energy worldwide.
Mitigation: Reducing our emissions
To combat climate change, two options are at our disposal. The first is reducing our annual greenhouse gas emissions, or mitigation. Mitigation’s objective is to limit the extent of global warming by curbing human activities that release large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other potent greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In other words, mitigating climate change is about reducing the release of greenhouse gas emissions that are warming our planet.
Mitigation strategies include retrofitting buildings to make them more energy efficient; adopting renewable energy sources like solar and wind; helping cities develop more sustainable transport such as bus rapid transit, electric vehicles, and biofuels; and promoting more sustainable uses of land and forests.
While every country must strategize to find innovative mitigation solutions, the responsibility of mitigating climate change largely depends on the work of large emitting countries such as the United States, China, and the European Union. Their mitigation strategies - as much as every other developed countries’ strategy - must be efficient if we aim to stay below the 1.5-degree threshold.
The small island nation of Vanuatu faces unique and severe challenges due to climate change. Vanuatu has been actively pursuing adaptation strategies to protect its people, ecosystems, and economy from the consequences of a changing climate.
Adaptation: Building resilience
The sad truth is that mitigating greenhouse gas emissions is not enough anymore. The reality is that the past decade was the hottest in recorded history, tropical storms are getting worse, and sea levels are rising. Countries face proliferating droughts, an acidifying ocean, and shrinking freshwater sources.
Hence why developing countries, mostly situated in the Global South are already facing the consequences of climate change, hence why the second solution is adapting to them.
By definition, adaptation refers to the process of adjusting and preparing human and natural systems to cope with the current and expected impacts of climate change. According to a Global Citizen article, more than 21.5 million people are displaced by climate-related events each year and 100 million people could be pushed into poverty by climate change by 2030.
Concerning adaptation, there is no 'one-size-fits-all-solution'—adaptation can range from building flood defences, setting up early warning systems for cyclones, switching to drought-resistant crops, to redesigning communication systems, business operations and government policies.
Conclusion
In the face of climate change, it is imperative to embrace both mitigation and adaptation strategies. Mitigation addresses the root causes, reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit future warming, while adaptation prepares us for the changes that are already affecting our planet. As individuals, communities, and nations come together to implement these twin approaches, we can collectively work towards a more sustainable, climate-resilient world—one that safeguards both nature and humanity for generations to come.
