Climate Adaptation Needs to be Transformative and Collective Action, Study Says

A review of behavioural adaptation studies on climate change shows that there is too much focus on individual effort rather than collective action to address the challenges of climate change.

ScienceDaily features this Ohio State University study. It says that policymakers are thinking too small when it comes to adapting to climate change effects.

The study finds that most studies have emphasized individual coping, which is reduced to single households managing their own risk when it comes to climate change hazards. Instead of individual efforts, collective action on a grander scale is needed.

Addressing climate adaptation demands systems-level thinking and transformational change.  Holistic thinking pushes society to act together rather than as individuals.

The researchers contend that: “What is needed is systems-level thinking about what is truly adaptive for society, and research on the dynamics that lead people to change entire systems through transformational actions and on barriers that keep people from embracing transformative efforts.”

Transformational change is the key that will make society climate-resilient in the face of increasing climate change threats, Roby Wilson, lead author of the paper, says.

One example that Wilson gave is in addressing sea-level rise. He said that instead of municipalities building flood walls, move people and valuables to higher ground and leave to insurance to deal with the problem as it comes, decision-makers could look at the big picture and clarify where the coastal communities should live at all.

To access the entire study, CLICK on the link below:

Resources citations:

Robyn S. Wilson, Atar Herziger, Matthew Hamilton, Jeremy S. Brooks. From incremental to transformative adaptation in individual responses to climate-exacerbated hazards. Nature Climate Change, 2020; DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-0691-6

Ohio State University. (2020, February 10). Adapting to climate change: We’re doing it wrong: Researchers, policymakers should focus on transformative strategies. ScienceDaily. Retrieved 6 May 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200210165721.htm