What is Climate Adaptation and Why is it Important?

Climate adaptation is about preparing for and responding to the dangerous impacts of climate change, such as extreme heat, flooding, droughts, and wildfires. It involves implementing plans and taking action to protect communities and infrastructure from these impacts.

Examples of Climate Adaptation Methods

One notable example of a climate adaptation method is the Thames Barrier. This flood defense system in London closes when necessary to safeguard the city from high tides and storm surges.

Thames Barrier

Credit: Chris Mansfield via Getty Images

The Importance of Climate Adaptation

Climate change is already causing havoc around the world, and its impacts, including threats to people’s health and food security, are becoming increasingly severe. For instance, the scorching summer of 2022 in the UK resulted in 2,803 excess deaths due to extreme heat. Meanwhile, drought in Sri Lanka since May 2023 has devastated the country’s rice harvest, potentially destroying up to 75,000 acres of rice fields.

Unfortunately, the most vulnerable populations are often the most severely affected by these climate impacts. The elderly, young children, and individuals with health conditions are particularly at risk in the face of extreme temperatures. Additionally, less affluent communities, such as struggling UK coastal areas or impoverished islands in the Global South like the Solomon Islands, have limited resources to recover from devastating flooding events.

Climate Adaptation vs. Climate Mitigation

While climate adaptation focuses on protecting against climate impacts, climate mitigation is centered on preventing those impacts in the first place. Mitigation involves reducing greenhouse gas emissions by adopting renewable energy sources, prioritizing public transportation, and promoting sustainable consumption. Unfortunately, sectors like transportation and aviation are not making the necessary emissions cuts, and the UK government is still heavily investing in oil and gas instead of transitioning away from fossil fuels.

The UK’s Preparedness for Climate Change

According to the Climate Change Committee, the UK is alarmingly unprepared for the challenges posed by climate change. Recent weather events serve as evidence of this lack of readiness. For example, Storm Babet in October 2023 resulted in tragic loss of life, evacuations, and power outages.

Coastal erosion in Norfolk

Credit: Steve Bateman via Getty Images

People across the UK are facing an uncertain future. In Norfolk, Kevin Jordan’s seaside home is perilously close to an eroding cliff edge, with neighboring homes already lost. In West Yorkshire, Doug Paulley, a care home resident and disability rights activist, struggles with heatwaves due to his long-term health conditions, often confined indoors during high temperatures.

“Extreme heat is just one example of how the most marginalized communities are disproportionately threatened by climate change.”

Doug Paulley

Decades of political inaction and short-term thinking have contributed to the lack of climate resilience in the UK. Previous governments have failed to prioritize climate action, passing on the responsibility to future decision-makers. Public opinion research shows that the government’s response to extreme weather is deemed insufficient and delayed. Furthermore, politicians continue to support polluting industries, such as fossil fuels and airlines, with public funds and tax breaks, despite the detrimental impact on the climate.

Already, the UK spends billions of pounds each year on climate damages, a cost that is projected to rise significantly in the future. However, the burden of climate harm falls on those who are least responsible for it, while those reaping massive profits from polluting activities evade accountability.

The UK’s Adaptation Plan

Every five years, the UK government is required to develop a National Adaptation Programme outlining measures to protect against existing and predicted climate impacts. Their most recent plan, published in July 2023, is regarded as seriously inadequate by critics, including ourselves. Hence, we have taken legal action against the government.

Together with Kevin Jordan and Doug Paulley, we have filed for a judicial review on October 17, 2023. We argue that the plan violates the Climate Change Act 2008, while Mr. Jordan and Mr. Paulley claim that it infringes upon their human rights to life, home, possessions, and freedom from discrimination.

“My home and others like it don’t fall under the government’s narrow definition of a ‘standard property’ deemed worthy of saving… Our village and coastal community has been met with almost no meaningful support.”

Kevin Jordan

If our request for permission is granted, we anticipate a trial to be held in mid-late 2024, pushing the government to address its inaction and implement urgent measures to protect society, particularly the most vulnerable, while upholding human rights standards in adaptation policies.

Adapting to Climate Change in the UK

Addressing the climate crisis and protecting vulnerable communities requires immediate, bold, and inclusive action. Key solutions include:

• Homes: Retrofitting the UK’s housing stock to improve insulation and temperature regulation, particularly for those at risk of fuel poverty and overheating. We advocate for a government-funded, comprehensive insulation program street by street. Additionally, new homes should be constructed away from flood-prone areas.
• Water: Allocated funding of £1 billion per year by 2025 for flood defenses. Water companies should prioritize leak repairs and the government should incentivize water-saving measures and behaviors among households, potentially reducing daily water usage by up to 40 liters.
• Farming: Shifting to more diverse agricultural systems that cultivate resilient crops while supporting nature and wildlife. These systems offer additional benefits such as preventing soil erosion, reducing flood risks, and absorbing carbon emissions.

Agroforestry

Credit: A-Shropshire-Lad via Getty Images

• Nature: Creation of abundant and interconnected natural spaces to facilitate species adaptation, including accessible food sources. Increasing tree coverage, particularly in urban areas, plays a crucial role in mitigating the urban heat island effect.
• Infrastructure and Services: Investment in resilient infrastructure and services, such as transportation systems, local councils, and the NHS, to handle increased demand and ensure accessibility for all, especially those most reliant on these services.
• International Action: Recognizing historical emissions and wealth, the UK must contribute its fair share to support climate adaptation efforts worldwide. More substantial financial assistance should be provided to developing countries.

Most importantly, substantial efforts are needed to prevent the climate crisis by reducing emissions and building a greener and more equitable future.