Climate Change Adaptation

Governments can conduct risk assessments and identify areas of vulnerability. Governments can outline specific strategies to address the impacts of climate change (e.g. measures to protect infrastructure). They can also collaborate with other governments and organisations to share resources and develop coordinated responses. 

Businesses can adapt to climate change by taking proactive measures and building resilience to the impacts of climate change. For example, conducting climate risk assessments to identify and assess exposure to climate risk. They can collaborate with stakeholders to identify shared risks and opportunities to develop solutions that benefit everyone.

It is more challenging for individuals to adapt to climate change, but they can do so by building personal resilience plans and emergency plans should an extreme weather event happen. Individuals can also advocate for policy change and action on climate change by contacting elected officials and supporting climate-friendly policies and initiatives.

While adapting to climate change can help us be more resilient to the impacts of extreme weather events, it cannot prevent or reverse the underlying problem of climate change. It may also be insufficient in addressing some of the most severe impacts. Mitigation can help prevent the worst impacts of climate change and provide long-term solutions to the problem. Overall, studies have shown that the costs of mitigating climate change are likely to be significantly lower, trillions of dollars lower, than the costs of adapting to its impacts.