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MITIGATION VS ADAPTATION

Syllabus:

GS-3:

Biodiversity, Environment, Environmental Impact Assessment, Biodiversity, Environment.

Focus:

The Economic Survey highlights flaws and inequities in the global climate action regime, suggesting alternative pathways emphasising lifestyle and behavioural changes. It critiques the excessive focus on the 1.5-degree Celsius target and advocates for balanced mitigation and adaptation strategies to address climate change more equitably.

source:wordpress

Introduction to Mitigation and Adaptation:

• Definition of Mitigation: Mitigation refers to efforts to reduce or prevent the emission of greenhouse gases. This can include using renewable energy sources, increasing energy efficiency, and implementing policies to reduce carbon footprints.
• Definition of Adaptation: Adaptation involves making adjustments in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climate stimuli or their effects. This can include building flood defences, developing drought-resistant crops, and improving water management systems.
• Importance of Both Strategies: Both mitigation and adaptation are crucial in addressing climate change. While mitigation aims to tackle the root cause by reducing emissions, adaptation focuses on coping with the impacts that are already happening or are inevitable.
• Current Focus on Mitigation: Historically, international climate agreements like the Paris Agreement have emphasised mitigation efforts, setting targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Growing Need for Adaptation: As the impacts of climate change become more apparent and severe, the need for robust adaptation strategies is increasingly recognized as essential for protecting vulnerable communities and ecosystems.

Understanding Climate Change:

Ineffectiveness of International Frameworks:

• Failure to Meet Targets: The Economic Survey points out that none of the targets set by international frameworks for fighting climate change have been met.
• Inequity in the System: The current international climate regime is seen as highly inequitable, placing disproportionate burdens on developing countries.
• Pressure on Developing Countries: The excessive focus on meeting the 1.5 or 2-degree Celsius temperature targets forces developing countries to make choices they are not ready for, diverting their focus from immediate developmental needs.
• Alternative Pathways Suggested: The Economic Survey suggests alternative pathways that incorporate lifestyle and behavioural changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, moving beyond the conventional focus on temperature targets.
• Imagining a Warmer but Resilient World: The Survey goes so far as to suggest that it is possible to imagine a warmer world that is more equitable and resilient, rather than striving to achieve the 1.5-degree threshold at all costs.

Scientific Consensus and Arbitrary Thresholds:

• Scientific Agreement on Impacts: There is a near consensus in the scientific community that the frequency and intensity of climate impacts increase with rising temperatures.
• Arbitrary Nature of Temperature Thresholds: The 1.5 or 2-degree Celsius thresholds are chosen arbitrarily and are not natural thresholds for climate change impacts.
• Misleading Doom Predictions: The Survey challenges the doomsday view that climate change would destroy the world in a few years, arguing that development and adaptation can significantly mitigate impacts.
• Focus on Development for Resilience: The Survey argues that rapid improvement in incomes and overall well-being of people is the best insurance against climate change.
• Uncertainties on Both Sides: Both mitigation and adaptation have uncertainties, and there is a proposal for rich and developed countries to focus on mitigation while developing countries concentrate on adaptation.

Increasing Resilience:

Importance of Adaptation:

• Adaptation as Priority: The Economic Survey emphasises that adaptation should get at least as much importance as mitigation, especially since climate impacts are already unfolding.
• Insurance Against Climate Change: Improving incomes and overall well-being of people is seen as the best insurance against climate change impacts.
• Frequency of Extreme Events: Climate change is leading to more frequent and intense extreme events like floods and droughts, affecting large populations.
• Building Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: There is a need for building climate-resilient infrastructure, such as improved railways and smart cities that incorporate elements of climate proofing.
• Mission LiFE: India’s Mission LiFE, which calls for lifestyle and behavioural changes, is highlighted as a key ingredient of its climate change strategy.

Barriers to Adaptation:

• Financial Constraints: Developing countries often face financial constraints that hinder their ability to implement effective adaptation measures.
• Technical and Institutional Challenges: Lack of technical expertise and institutional capacity can also be significant barriers to adaptation.
• Political Will and Governance: Effective adaptation requires strong political will and good governance, which can be challenging in some developing countries.
• Public Awareness and Engagement: Raising public awareness and engaging communities in adaptation efforts are crucial but can be challenging.
• Integration with Development Goals: Adaptation strategies need to be integrated with broader development goals to ensure sustainable outcomes.

Inequities and Hypocrisy in Global Climate Action:

Historical Responsibilities:

• Largest Historical Emitters: The United States and other developed countries have the largest historical responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions but have been lagging in emission reductions.
• Failure to Fulfill Commitments: Developed countries have not fulfilled their commitments to provide finance and technology to developing countries for climate action.
• Passing the Responsibility: The responsibility for climate action failures is often passed on to the rest of the world, particularly developing countries.
• Preservation of Global Order: The international climate architecture has often been more about preserving the existing global order than genuinely addressing climate change.
• Dismantling of Equitable Frameworks: The process to dismantle more equitable frameworks like the Kyoto Protocol began immediately after they came into effect, highlighting the inequities in the system.

Criticisms and Alternatives:

• Developing Countries’ Impatience: The Economic Survey articulates the impatience of developing countries with the hypocrisy of the developed world in climate action.
• Bias in Climate Models: Recent studies have shown how inequities and biases are built into the models used by the IPCC to draw up climate scenarios.
• Need for Realistic Scenarios: The Survey calls for more realistic scenarios that take into account the historical responsibilities and future energy requirements of developing countries.
• Role of Scientific Organisations: Organisations like the IPCC have been criticised for strengthening the narrative of the developed countries, often at the expense of developing nations.
• Call for Greater Equity: There is a call for greater equity in the global climate action regime, ensuring that developing countries are not disproportionately burdened.

Alternative Approaches:

Lifestyle and Behavioral Changes:

• Mission LiFE: India has been promoting Mission LiFE, which calls for lifestyle and behavioural changes as a key ingredient of its climate change strategy.
• Over-consumption in the Developed World: The developed world’s over-consumptive lifestyles are highlighted as a major contributor to climate change.
• Similar Issues in Developing Countries: The rich in developing countries also indulge in similar over-consumption, limiting the effectiveness of pointing fingers at the developed world.
• Mass Movement Needed: For initiatives like Mission LiFE to be effective, they need to become mass movements, engaging large segments of the population.
• Role of Public Awareness: Raising public awareness about the importance of lifestyle and behavioural changes is crucial for the success of alternative approaches.

Building Climate-Resilient Infrastructure:

• Need for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: India has the opportunity to build some of the most climate-resilient infrastructure in the world as it develops.
• Examples of Progress: Projects like the Central Vista and smart city plans contain elements of climate proofing, although more needs to be done.
• Challenges in Implementation: Many cities are still struggling with basic issues like sewage management, highlighting the need for better implementation of climate-resilient projects.
• Potential of New Developments: New railway stations and other infrastructure projects have the potential to be far better than existing ones in terms of climate resilience.
• Scaling Up Efforts: There is a need to scale up efforts and implement climate-resilient infrastructure projects at the fastest pace and largest scale possible.

Challenges in Balancing Mitigation and Adaptation:

Resource Allocation: Developing countries often struggle with the financial and technological resources needed to balance both mitigation and adaptation efforts effectively.

• Immediate vs Long-term Benefits: Mitigation efforts often show benefits in the long term, whereas adaptation provides more immediate relief to affected communities.
• Equity Issues: Developing nations argue that they should prioritise adaptation to protect their populations from immediate climate impacts, while wealthier countries with higher historical emissions should lead mitigation efforts.
• Policy and Implementation Gaps: There is often a gap between climate policies and their implementation, especially in developing countries where governance and institutional capacities may be weak.
• Socio-economic Factors: Economic development priorities and poverty reduction efforts in developing countries can sometimes conflict with stringent mitigation measures, making it challenging to find a balance.
• International Frameworks: Inequitable international climate regimes, where developed countries have historically failed to meet their emission reduction commitments.
• Public Awareness: Lack of widespread public awareness and engagement in climate action, particularly in promoting lifestyle and behavioural changes.
• Scientific Biases: Climate models often have built-in inequities and biases, failing to adequately consider the needs and responsibilities of developing countries.

Way Forward:

• Enhanced Funding: Increase financial and technological support for developing countries to balance mitigation and adaptation efforts effectively.
• Robust Governance: Strengthen governance and institutional capacities to bridge the gap between climate policies and their implementation.
• Equitable Targets: Develop more equitable global climate targets that consider the capabilities and responsibilities of developing nations.
• Resilient Infrastructure: Accelerate the construction of climate-resilient infrastructure, focusing on comprehensive solutions for urban and rural areas.
• Revised Frameworks: Advocate for fairer international climate agreements, holding developed countries accountable for their historical emissions and commitments.
• Public Engagement: Launch extensive public awareness campaigns to promote sustainable lifestyle and behavioural changes, making climate action a mass movement.
• Inclusive Models: Encourage the development of climate models that incorporate the needs and historical contexts of all countries, ensuring fair and realistic scenarios.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the Economic Survey calls for a re-evaluation of the global climate action approach, urging a shift towards inclusive and resilient strategies. By integrating lifestyle changes and emphasising adaptation, India aims to tackle climate change more effectively while addressing the immediate needs of its population.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Practice Question:

Discuss the key challenges and possible solutions for balancing mitigation and adaptation efforts in global climate action, with a particular focus on the concerns of developing countries.

Associated Article:

https://universalinstitutions.com/climate-change-adaptation-by-2030/