Climate change adaptation

One of the alarming reality about climate change is that no matter what humanity does to stop green-house gas (GHG) emissions, the amount of GHGs in the atmosphere is not likely to reduce over the next five to 10 decades.
The gases, which include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (NO), tend to trap heat energy generated on earth’s surface when the sun’s energy gets converted into heat when it strikes the surface. The gases behave in a similar manner as the glass surrounding a green-house does, which is to trap heat. It is this trapped heat that causes global warming.
The reason why the current change in the earth’s climate will not be reversed any time soon is that some of the GHGs, particularly CO2, take at least 100 years to break down.
Human beings will therefore need to live with climate change as they explore ways of reducing GHG emissions or somehow removing them from the atmosphere.
Taking measures to cope with climate change is what is referred to as climate change adaptation.
Climate change does not only affect human beings but all living things, including livestock and crops on which people rely for their livelihoods. The impact of climate change, particularly increase in the average global temperature, will likely lead to other changes to the environment including rising sea level and the increase in the frequency of extreme events including floods, drought, wild fires and mixing of salty sea water and fresh water.
In order to adapt to climate change, it therefore means that low lying parts of some countries and some small island states will need to take measures such building dykes to prevent sea water flooding.
New technologies in food production and livestock rearing will need be devised and applied. As some areas become drier, farmers will have to use farming practices that utilise less water and also plant drought tolerant crop varieties.
The global community has agreed that certain countries particularly the United States, China and most industrialised countries in Europe and Asia have contributed more green-house gas emissions than developing countries. Fortunately, the biggest polluters have acknowledged this responsibility and pledged to support developing countries to strengthen their adaptation capacities.
The most recent such commitment was made in Paris, France by 196 countries in December, 2015. Known as the Paris Agreement, it was made by countries that have signed a United Nation agreement known as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). By August 2017, 195 countries had signed the Convention while 159 had ratified it, meaning that the laws of 159 countries recognise the Paris Agreement as binding.
The Agreement, which will take effect in 2020, requires polluting countries to commit finances to support adaptation programmes in developing countries. However, the rich countries cannot be compelled to put these commitments to practice and should do so voluntarily, something that has been seen as weakness in the Agreement.
Even with the Paris Agreement requiring rich countries to provide funding for adaptation programmes in developing countries, the poorer countries should still use the resources they have to prioritise adaptation. It is in their interest to do so because climate change generally affects the poorest, who form the majority of citizens in developing countries, and more specifically women, who bear the harshest impact of climate change because of their gender roles. 

Ask and I write! Follow me on Twitter @TonyMugo. #mugoclimateinsights


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