Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change (2010) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
1 Introduction
Pages 17-28
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From page 17... ...
ADAPTATION: KEy QuESTIONS, CHALLENgES, AND OPPORTuNITIES Why Consider Adaptation Now? Society and nature have always adjusted to climate variability and weather extremes, but climate change is moving climate conditions outside the range of past human experiences (IPCC, 2007b; Solomon et al., 2009)
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From page 18... ...
. Areas of particular concern include low-lying coastlines, especially coastal areas of the Southeast that are susceptible to hurricanes, sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, and land subsidence; the West, where water supplies are largely dependent on snowpack, particularly those with little storage relative to annual flow; inner cities in the Midwest and Northeast, where many residents do not have access to air conditioning; natural ecosystems and native villages in northern Alaska that are subject to rapid changes in temperature, thawing of permafrost, and loss of sea ice; and Western forests that are susceptible to wildfire and bark beetle infestation.
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From page 19... ...
vulnerability: The degree to which a system is susceptible to, or unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extremes. Vulnerability is a function of the character, magnitude, and rate of climate variation to which a system is exposed, its sensitivity, and its adaptive capacity.
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From page 20... ...
Because impacts of and vulnerabilities to climate change vary greatly across regions and sectors, adaptation decisions are fundamentally place-based, occurring at multiple scales, from that of the individual household or firm, to cities, regions, states, tribes, corporations, and economic sectors, to the level of the federal government and agencies within it that manage land and other resources. Considering the range, and in some instances the severity of climate change risks, it seems clear that capacities currently available for adaptation at the local and state levels are inadequate to address risks to health, well-being, property, and ecosystem services in many regions of the United States.
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From page 21... ...
. Developing proactive strategies and planning processes that consider multiple perspectives, multiple stressors, multiple time horizons related to intergenerational equity issues, and multiple competing interests is a complex challenge, calling for broad collaborations and partnerships.
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From page 22... ...
to execute an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to establish a committee that will "investigate and study the serious and sweeping issues relating to global climate change and make recommendations regarding what steps must be taken and what strategies must be adopted in response to global climate change, including the science and technology challenges thereof." This panel was charged to describe, analyze, and assess actions and strategies to reduce vulnerability, increase adaptive capacity, improve resilience, and promote successful adaptation to climate change in different regions, sectors, systems, and populations across the nation. The panel's report draws on a wide range of sources and case studies to identify lessons learned from past experiences, promising current approaches, and potential new directions.
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From page 23... ...
In making adaptation decisions, focus not only on optimizing conditions for the current generation, but also look several generations ahead and consider ways to reduce risk over time. Some adaptation decisions must be taken today, but planning needs to focus toward the future, when the risks from climate change will be greatest.
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From page 24... ...
adaptation and mitigation efforts is in large part dependent on cooperative efforts across the globe. ORgANIzATION OF THE REPORT Identifying adaptation options and strategies to respond to climate change requires an understanding of anticipated changes in temperature and other climate variables and how these will in turn affect economic sectors and natural and human systems.
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The approach involves an adaptive risk-management framework combining a portfolio of adaptation and emissions-reduction strategies, all of which should include provisions for learning by doing. The report draws on the example of New York City's adaptation efforts to illustrate how to develop an actionoriented adaptation strategy, principles for developing an adaptation plan, methods for selecting adaptation options, and tools and decision makers necessary for implementing an adaptation plan.
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From page 26... ...
In the near term, America's choices will be focused mainly on adaptation actions that reduce risks from climate change impacts while at the same time helping to meet other needs, such as reducing risks from climate variability or reducing threats that could undermine near-term economic and social development. The emphasis will be on how climate change adaptation offers co-benefits as it reduces vulnerabilities related to ecosystem stress, water resource management, community resilience, human health, energy security, and other social concerns.
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From page 27... ...
; and (3) sharing the responsibility for supporting adaptation to climate change impacts in other areas of the world that are not capable of adapting on their own (Chapter 6)
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