The increasing importance of adaptation
We can't avoid climate change altogether. Even if we can limit warming to 2 degrees C, and that is looking increasingly unlikely, it would still mean substantial impacts on food, water, health and biodiversity - especially in developing countries.
The world's response to climate change needs to be a combination of adaptation (coping with climate change) and mitigation (actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions).
Adaptation will be high on the agenda at Durban - the key issue being how it will be financed.
Effective use of climate science to inform adaptation
To inform decisions on adaptation we need more information about changes in regional climate and extreme events (such as floods and storms) and about climate over the next 5 to 20 years, rather than looking out to 2050 or 2100. Forecasting climate for the next 5 to 20 years and improving information about regional detail and extreme events are both particular areas of expertise of scientists at the Walker Institute.
See our research on regional climate>>
See our research on extreme events>>
Traditionally projections of climate have looked out to the middle or even the end of the 21st century. While this is relevant for some long-lived infrastructure (such as flood defences), nearer term climate projections are more relevant for many sectors. See our research on the climate of the next 30 years>>
The Walker Institute is focussing on how to best use cutting edge climate science to inform adaptation research and practice and on ensuring the needs of adaptation stakeholders have an influence on the climate science research agenda. New research
Research published last month shows that if greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase, global temperatures are projected to cross a threshold of 2 degrees C above the pre-industrial era between 2040 and 2060- well within the lifetime of many people currently alive.
Information about when particular thresholds are likely to be crossed is useful in deciding when adaptation measures, which typically have a long lead time, should begin.
Find out more>>
Understanding adaptation
Within the Walker Institute we are combining the developing science of decadal prediction with our research on the impacts of climate change to assess consequences and adaptation options across a range of sectors such as agriculture, water resources and the built environment.
Find out more>>
Reducing vulnerability and increasing resilience
This includes research on poverty reduction, African rural development, resilience building and social science aspects of adaptation .
Find out more>>
|
Home
