Climate change adaptation
Climate change exerts multiple stresses at different spatial and temporal scales on the biophysical as well as the social and institutional environment. Some of the induced changes are expected to be abrupt, while others involve gradual shifts in temperature, vegetation cover and fish stocks. As such climate change affects underlying climate risks such as drought, intense rainfall and heat waves, but can also trigger secondary stresses such as the spread of pests, increased competition for resources, the collapse of financial institutions, human and species migration and biodiversity losses. Food security may be particularly at risk in arid, semi-arid, and fragile mountain and coastal ecosystems, small islands, developing and least developed countries of the world.
Adaptation to climate change can significantly reduce impacts
The extent and nature of negative impacts imposed by climate change can be managed by effective adaptation. In the context of climate change, adaptation refers to adjustments in human and natural systems to respond to actual or expected climate impacts. Most ecological and social systems have a measure of in-built adaptation capacity (autonomous adaptation) but the current rapid rate of climate change will impose new and potentially overwhelming pressures on existing adaptation capacity. This is particularly true given that the secondary changes induced by climate change are expected to undermine the ability of people and ecosystems to cope with and recover from extreme climate events and other natural hazards.
Climate change adaptation is a socio-institutional learning process
Climate change adaptation is a process of socio-institutional co-learning that recognizes often competing goals and processes and uses information at various levels and in many ways to reduce vulnerability to climate risks. Adapting to climate change will depend on adjustments and changes at every level - from community-based to national and international. However, the capacity to adapt will vary significantly from country to country, community to community and in particular to the level of development. In general, the preferred adaptation strategies are actions with multiple economic and environmental benefits, including for current and future conditions and needs to be based on sound scientific assessment. The range of practices that can be used to adapt to climate change is diverse, and includes changes in behaviour, structural changes, policy based responses, technological responses or managerial responses. The following table shows selected examples of planned adaptation for the agricultural sector.
Selected examples of planned adaptation for agricultural sector (from IPCC(2007)).
| Sector | Adaptation option/strategy | Underlying policy framework | Key constraints and opportunities to implementation |
| Water | Expanded rainwater harvesting; water storage and conservation techniques; water re-use; desalination; water-use and irrigation efficiency | National water policies and integrated water resources management; water-related hazards management | Constraints: Financial, human resources and physical barriers; Opportunities: integrated water resources management; synergies with other sectors |
| Agriculture | Adjustment of planting dates and crop variety; crop relocation; improved land management, e.g. erosion control and soil protection through tree planting | R&D policies; institutional reform; land tenure and land reform; training; capacity building; crop insurance; financial incentives, e.g. subsidies and tax credits | Constraints: Technological & financial constraints; access to new varieties; markets; Opportunities: longer growing season in higher latitudes; revenues from ‘new’ products |
FAO promotes a large number of adaptation options and assist rural communities in applying them. FAO provides a neutral forum for sharing information about best practices. FAO works with governments, rural communities, research institutions and other bodies and provides global geo-spatial data, analytical tools and models, crop forecasting and impact monitoring and information on risks related to climate variability and change. FAO’s climate risk management seeks to identify anticipatory strategies for managing both short-term climate variability and longer-term climate change impacts in climate-sensitive agriculture sector.