Is Climate Adaptation the Future of Climate Action?

For decades, climate change has been portrayed as an urgent global issue. It is often linked to studies and climate models that project a bleak future.

This message is conveyed to the public through various mediums, including social media, television reports, newspapers, and digital media platforms, emphasising how climate change leads to more extreme events such as floods, wildfires, droughts, heat waves, and severe storms.

Research and publications recommend solutions to address climate change by targeting fossil fuel use. They urge governments, businesses, and individuals to stop using fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy sources as quickly as possible to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are primarily responsible for climate change.

Other mitigation measures include reducing meat and dairy consumption, taking fewer flights when travelling, opting for electric cars, utilising public transportation, engaging in active transportation like walking and cycling, and voting for pro-climate candidates.

Many people feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the climate change problem and are uncertain whether solutions will be compelling enough to combat it. The situation is further complicated by US President Donald Trump’s second term in office, which has not been conducive to reducing fossil fuel use.

He has fulfilled his campaign promise to “drill, baby, drill” by declaring a national energy emergency shortly after taking office and signing numerous executive orders to promote the exploration and production of domestic fossil fuels. Additionally, he withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement, a decision that experts regard as a significant setback for global climate action.

The US is the world’s second-largest emitter of greenhouse gas pollution, following China, and it plays a critical role in the global effort to address climate change. The country is also the top producer and consumer of oil, accounting for nearly one-quarter of global production and more than 20% of consumption in 2022.

Trump’s goal of achieving “energy dominance” for the US implies increased fossil fuel extraction, consumption, and exports to other countries.

The good news is that although the US energy industry continues to extract record amounts of fossil fuels despite pressure from climate activists to halt such practices, carbon emissions from that industrial activity have decreased.

For instance, according to a study by the Environmental Protection Agency, even as fossil gas production rose by 40% from 2015 to 2022, methane emissions from gas extraction fell by 37%.

The Conversation highlights that despite six reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), numerous climate conferences, and thousands of scientific papers, the world has made minimal progress on climate action. It notes that 2024 marked the first year in which global temperatures exceeded the Paris Agreement limit of 1.5°C, and if current policies continue, the world is projected to warm by 2.7°C by 2100.

In reality, fossil fuel consumption will continue in both developed and developing countries, especially in developing nations, as they grow economically due to the high start-up costs of renewable energy.

Governments must continue supporting the growth of renewables while extracting and processing fossil fuels in the cleanest manner possible by leveraging innovations and technologies.

The development of hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, has significantly expanded oil and natural gas reserves. According to a study published in 2016 in the Journal of Economic Perspectives, the growth of fossil fuel reserves has kept pace with consumption.

The study examined the reserves available over the last thirty years and compared them with global consumption. It found that in the past three decades, natural gas and oil reserves have increased at a rate that matches consumption levels.

Adapting to extreme weather events

The world’s continuous reliance on fossil fuels and the increasing frequency of extreme natural events may shift the focus from climate mitigation to climate adaptation.

Climate change adaptation involves taking actions that reduce vulnerability to climate change’s current and anticipated effects, such as extreme weather events, rising sea levels, biodiversity loss, and food and water insecurity.

Many adaptation measures need to happen locally, so rural communities and cities have a significant role to play. Such measures include planting crop varieties that are more resistant to drought and practising regenerative agriculture, improving water storage and use, managing land to reduce wildfire risks, and building stronger defences against extreme weather like floods and heat waves.

These strategies demonstrate that adaptation can be a powerful tool in facing climate change. Studies also show that investing in adaptation measures can result in significant economic benefits.

Transitioning to climate adaptation does not imply abandoning climate mitigation efforts; rather, it represents a balanced and realistic perspective on how the world operates.

It is encouraging to see that climate adaptation and resilience are being incorporated into policies, urban planning, and infrastructure development. By embracing these principles, cities and communities will be better equipped with the resources and knowledge needed to cope with extreme natural events.