Mitigation and adaptation

The world is warming up at an alarming rate. What are we going to do about it? There are two types of polices to choose from: Mitigation & Adaptation.

Mitigation: This refers to policies which are designed to delay, reduce or prevent climate change caused by global warming. Examples of this is cutting CO2 emissions by:

• Afforestation
• Congestion charging
• Increasing renewable energy

Adaptation: This refers to policies which are designed to reduce existing impact of global warming such as:

• Protection from coastal erosion
• Protection from flooding

Reasons to be pro mitigation policies:

• Emissions have to be reduced immediatly if the world is to avoid irreversable climate change. Adaptation is a waste of time is emissions increase.
• Adaptation policies are often supported by those who beleive in the 'fossil fuel society.' Unless someone challenges this change will never occur.
• Carbon sinks can easily be acheived through goverment grants to encourage afforestation (tree planting)
• There is public support in developed countries to cut emissions and use more renewable energy.
• Cutting greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries is essential as economic growth leads to an increase in emissions.

Reasons to be pro adaptation policies:

• It will take a long time to get all countries to agree to reduce carbon emissions so adaptation is necessary.
• The amount of time it will take to reduce emissions means climate change will get worse before it gets better.
• Climate change is already happening and this needs manaing now.
• Even if all emissions ceased today the effects would still last for the next century so we will need to adapt.
• The earth absorbs CO2 slowly so even with increased carbon sinks it will take a long time to absorb the excess
• Keeping greenhouse gas emissions at current levels is unrealistic due to the economic growth in the BRIC countries so mitigation will not be acheived in time.