Climate Change Adaptation (Cambridge International IGCSE Environmental Management)

Climate change adaptation strategies

• Adaptation involves changing our behaviour, practices and infrastructure to cope with the impacts of climate change, whereas mitigation involves reducing greenhouse gas emissions to tackle the cause of climate change

Changes in agricultural practise

• Agricultural systems will need to adapt to changing weather patterns, different pests and diseases
• Changing crops or the livestock raised to suit the climatic conditions
• More irrigation may be required, which will need careful management of water supplies
• Development of drought-resistant crops
• Floating gardens where crops are planted on platforms which rise with the level of water

Benefits

• Adaptations will reduce the impacts of crop failure or livestock deaths, which may lead to food insecurity and possible famine
• Also reduces the possible negative economic impact
• Changes require investment but this does not have to be expensive, for example providing livestock with shelter from heat

Limitations

• Limitations to changes are a lack of money and a lack of access to water
• Farmers in some LICs will need external assistance, especially with costs

Improved flood defences

• This will help reduce risks from extreme weather events
• Strategies include flood shelters, houses on stilts, seawalls, and storm surge barriers

Benefits

• Defences reduce the impact of flooding from more extreme weather, rising sea levels and coastal erosion
• Agriculture won't be destroyed, people won't have to move, livelihoods can continue, and financial losses will be minimised
• Coastal ecosystems won't be destroyed
• Wetland vegetation can grow beneath stilt-supported homes

Limitations

• Coastal habitats may be disturbed, and some strategies may be costly to implement and maintain

Land use zoning

• This makes sure that buildings are not constructed on floodplains or too near vulnerable coastlines

Benefits

• By introducing legislation, the likelihood of homes and businesses flooding is reduced
• Critical buildings such as hospitals and schools should be constructed away from at-risk zones so that they can remain open

Limitations

• However, it's not always possible to control urban growth and some people are prepared to live with the risk

New building designs

• It is beneficial to install cooling systems, upgrade heat insulation, and install reflective roofing
• By 2050, an estimated 1.6 billion people will live in over 970 cities that frequently experience high temperatures, endangering people's lives

Benefits

• Urban forest planting provides wildlife habitat and cools the surrounding area
• It is possible to incorporate traditional designs; for instance, new homes are built with wide openings to improve ventilation in Laos

Limitations

• The majority of settlements in LICs are self-built, and residents lack access to modern building supplies
• The cost of building the homes may increase due to new designs, materials, and regulations