Adopt to Adapt: Re-shaping climate change solutions

What is it about?

With climate change affecting all spheres of human life, policymakers have realised that adaptation measures must be prioritised to mitigate the harmful effects of polluting practices and unsustainable policies. Adaptation to climate change obligates an assessment of climate change vulnerability, as well as the design and implementation of corrective measures. In a new article, authors summarise the international norms on adaptation as a growing solution to climate change along with the major provisions formulated for their successful adoption. The article focusses on how the Paris Agreement intended to strike a balance between adaptation and mitigation measures for developing countries. It also discusses how the Katowice Climate Package was adopted for implementing the Paris Agreement's adaptation provisions, where decisions were made to improve the integrity of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) entities and assess adaptation needs in developing countries without unfairly burdening them.

Featured Image

Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash

Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash

Why is it important?

With the International cooperation in place, the Paris Agreement and the UNFCCC have created guidelines for developing adaptation measures. However, most strategies are arbitrary owing to poor descriptions and cost concerns, and ‘carbon mitigation programs’ remain policymakers' preferred option. The Kyoto Protocol attempted to bring "adaptation" to the fore for assisting developing countries with related costs, only to be disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Knowledge of the regulations under the provisions of UNFCCC and Paris Agreement can help developing countries grow resilience to climate change that is likely to disproportionately affect the diverse economies worldwide. KEY TAKEAWAY The provisions of the Paris Agreement were critical in making adaptation one of the key goals of climate change strategies. A progressive mitigation can only be assured by incorporating adaptation into national policies and initiatives, particularly in developing nations that are more vulnerable to climate change infliction.