How to survive and grow in a warming world

News: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its latest report on climate impacts. It highlights the need for adaptation.

What does the report state regarding adaptation?

It suggests that adaptation to climate impacts in the near to medium term can help communities and ecosystems become resilient against the threats from current and future levels of warming. Ecosystem-based adaptation, for instance, is recommended for taking care of communities and social well-being, while restoring forests, lands and marine ecosystems.

The adaptation will be different for different places. Also cost-effective adaptation depends on international cooperation, inclusive technology, financial flows, knowledge sharing and capacity building, policy development and on-ground implementation.

What are the gaps in IPCC literature?

The IPCC has been consistently drawing attention to the lack of adequate science from and on developing countries. These countries have in turn been asking for the inclusion of what is broadly termed as “grey literature” or non-peer-reviewed literature in the IPCC process.

Such “grey” resources are very often supported by respected donor organizations and governments and can be valuable sources of information in contexts where the resources for research and publishing are limited.

What are the steps required for Sustainable Development?

Sustainable development, inclusive of climate resilience, calls for an ensemble approach. This should provide appropriate emphasis on tackling climate change impacts and development needs in a world with growing challenges.

For instance, developing countries may have to work harder now to achieve their projected pre-Covid levels of achievement. The pathway should include immediate, near and medium-term outcomes.

Way forward: Pursuing the report’s call for climate-resilient development pathways requires follow-up action. As the pandemic has already highlighted the need for balance in nature-people relationships.

Source: This post is created based on the article “A How to survive and grow in a warming world” Published on 1^st April 2022 in Indian Express.