What is climate change adaptation?

Climate change now exceeds +1.5°C. Extreme weather events are intensifying, revealing the limitations of our mitigation policies. While mitigation efforts must continue, adaptation has become crucial. If mitigation aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect ecosystems, adaptation must strengthen societies' resilience to climate impacts. Globally, strategies are being implemented, involving states, businesses, and citizens, to ensure a sustainable future. Every local action contributes to global resilience.

Thomas Guyot
Chief Strategy Officer
Publication : 
25.11.2024
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2024 was the first year to exceed an average of +1.5°C. Heatwaves, megafires, floods, cyclones… all these events and their recurrence no longer seem to surprise anyone. Having failed to address the causes, we are now managing the consequences of global warming. But this symbolic 1.5°C barrier is nothing compared to the latest UN forecasts, which announce that at this rate, we are heading towards a +3.1°C scenario by 2100. The future climate will then bear no resemblance to the current climate.

While our efforts to reduce our GHG emissions and our impact on ecosystems must continue and even intensify, we must simultaneously prepare our societies and economies for a world at least +2°C warmer. This is what climate change adaptation policies entail.

Climate Mitigation vs. Climate Adaptation: What's the Difference?

First, it is necessary to differentiate between climate mitigation actions and climate adaptation actions. 

Climate mitigation encompasses all actions taken to slow down global warming. This primarily involves reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, as well as preserving and restoring ecosystems that can capture carbon. Thus, the GHG emission reduction targets set under the Paris Agreement are the benchmark for climate mitigation policies, aiming to keep global warming below 2.5°C.

Climate change adaptation, on the other hand, concerns all actions taken to enhance our resilience and that of ecosystems to the consequences of global warming. It operates on the principle that prevention is always better than cure. This helps to both reduce potential human losses and lower the financial costs associated with the consequences of global warming.

Mitigation and adaptation are the two pillars of an effective climate strategy. These two modes of action are, and must be, complementary, whether at the level of a country, a company, or even an individual. Largely interdependent, they must help reduce the human and financial cost of global warming.

The Cost of Inaction

According to a study conducted by IC4E, the cost of climate adaptation in France would amount to approximately 2.3 billion euros per year, a sum which, although high, remains significantly lower than the financial cost of the consequences of global warming.

A report published by ADEME in 2023 indicates that a 3.5-degree warming by 2100 compared to the pre-industrial era could cost France more than 10 GDP points annually compared to a scenario without climate warming, which would currently amount to nearly 280 billion euros per year. This is commonly known as the cost of climate inaction.

Equally interesting is that, of these 10 GDP points, 6 would be due to natural disasters occurring outside France but could heavily impact the value chain of French companies. This highlights the absolute necessity, in a globalized economy, of having a global vision for climate change adaptation strategies. A flooded factory in China or crops hit by extreme droughts in South America will unequivocally have direct consequences on the French economy.

Climate Change Adaptation in Practice

The imbalances caused by global warming lead to disruptions that vary widely from one region to another. Droughts, floods, soil erosion, submersion, and fires are all risks that weigh differently depending on the terrain, geographical location, and local economic activities. For example, a decrease in snow cover will likely have far fewer consequences in Marseille than in Chamonix, both in terms of its impact on ecosystems and on the economy.

While some measures are planned at the national or international level, their implementation often relies on local actions tailored to specific contexts. These responses are also organized at different scales: individuals, businesses, local authorities, and states.

The Essential Role of Public Authorities

More concretely, local authorities and public bodies play a fundamental role in protecting populations and infrastructure that goes far beyond simple crisis management. In France, natural risk prevention plans (PPRN) are increasing to map vulnerable areas, limit urbanization in these sectors, and anticipate climate disasters. The National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (PNACC) aims to guide national adaptation policy by identifying priority areas and implementing measures to limit the risks and consequences of global warming. The latest PNACC French PNACC is thus based on a 4°C warming scenario by 2100. Published regularly by the French State, it is enriched by the results of discussions with various stakeholders and a public consultation.

Among the measures regularly implemented in public adaptation policies are the creation of green spaces in urban areas, which helps reduce heat islands and improve stormwater management, or the establishment of insurance-based risk management systems to support households and businesses facing losses due to natural disasters. A policy of supporting territories is also essential for managing risks at the local level.

Measures generally prioritized in a national plan include so-called "no-regret" measures which are characterized by immediate benefits, regardless of the climate warming scenario. These include better water resource management, energy efficiency policies, and the restoration of natural ecosystems. These measures promote increased resilience while reducing the overall environmental impacts of human activity.

Business adaptation: a strategic imperative

While states and local authorities are at the forefront of implementing climate change adaptation policies, businesses also have a role to play, primarily in strengthening their resilience to global warming. For businesses, integrating climate change adaptation into their climate plan is a strategic imperative, ensuring their long-term viability.

Thus, securing supply chains is crucial in the face of disruptions caused by phenomena such as floods, which can block transport infrastructure, or droughts, which affect the availability of raw materials. The more complex a company's value chain, the more risks it faces.

To mitigate these issues, some companies are turning to short supply chains to reduce their reliance on distant suppliers and strengthen the robustness of their operations. Others are investing in adapted infrastructure, such as flood-resistant buildings, or diversifying their supply sources to limit risks. The most exposed industries, such as agri-food, are integrating more sustainable approaches by prioritizing local raw materials or those better adapted to climate change.

Most non-financial reporting standards, CSRD in particular, now encourage companies to consider the impacts that climate change will have on their activities, both in terms of risks and opportunities. This involves the analysis of materiality, a prerequisite for any climate plan, which must compel companies to estimate the level of dependence of their activities on various criteria (climate, biodiversity, water resources, etc.). The underlying idea is to help them identify their potential vulnerabilities and encourage them to implement adequate measures to ensure their resilience and that of their stakeholders in the event of major disruptions.

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Food security at the heart of agricultural sector adaptation

Agriculture is undoubtedly one of the sectors most directly impacted by global warming. Prolonged drought episodes and irregular rainfall compel farmers to adopt adaptation strategies. They can, for example, turn to crops more resistant to drought, such as certain cereal varieties better suited to arid soils. New crop rotation techniques also help preserve soils more effectively and enhance their water absorption capacity.

We are also seeing the development of new, more water-efficient irrigation methods, such as drip irrigation, which not only improves productivity but also reduces pressure on water resources. These approaches, often integrating local knowledge and technological innovation, play a key role in ensuring food security in the face of increasingly unpredictable climatic conditions. Moving certain crops to regions more favorable for their development is also a solution gradually gaining traction. We are thus seeing vineyards expand northward in France, while other crops, less water-intensive and more resilient to high temperatures, are replacing them in the South, permanently altering crop rotation.

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In summary, Climate change adaptation involves a multitude of complementary responses, tailored to each level of intervention. It requires a collective and concerted effort, where everyone – individuals, businesses, or communities – plays an essential role. Insulating one's home or installing a rainwater harvesting tank is, at an individual level, a way to participate in this dynamic, just like the initiatives undertaken by economic and institutional actors to address the growing impacts of climate disruption.

Adaptation in the European Union: Issues and Challenges

In 2009, the European Union published a White Paper on adaptation which aimed to lay the groundwork for the EU's climate change adaptation strategy.

This was followed in 2012 by the launch of Climate-ADAPT, a platform designed to aggregate data and information on adaptation methodologies and actions implemented across various European territories to reduce climate impacts.

2013: The EU's First Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 

The EU's first climate change adaptation strategy was then launched in 2013.

Its primary aim was to understand and assess the climate impacts and adaptation challenges that Europe would face.

This strategy thus focused on three main priorities:

  • Promote action by EU Member States
  • Foster informed decision-making
  • Focus on the most vulnerable key sectors

Eight major actions were then intended to articulate this strategy: 

  • Encourage all Member States to adopt comprehensive adaptation strategies
  • Provide grants to help build capacity and strengthen adaptation action in Europe 
  • Include adaptation in the Covenant of Mayors
  • Improve knowledge (systems for tracking actions taken, cost of damages and cost and benefits of adaptation, assessment of local and regional risks, decision-support tools, etc.)
  • Develop the Climate-ADAPT platform to make it the "one-stop shop" for adaptation information in Europe.
  • Facilitate the integration of climate resilience issues into the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), cohesion policy, and Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)
  • Improve infrastructure resilience
  • Promote insurance and other financial products for "climate-proof" investment and business decisions.

2021: Building a Resilient Europe

Following an initial evaluation process, the European Commission concluded that while its initial objectives were largely met, they also showed that the territory of the European Union remained highly vulnerable to disruptions linked to climate change. After a public consultation, a new strategy was thus launched in 2021, titled "Building a Resilient Europe". This strategy is intended to follow on from the 2013 strategy by enabling the identification of adaptation solutions, ensuring their effective implementation, and applying a genuine policy of territorial support.

This strategy is structured around four main pillars: 

  • Making adaptation smarter by improving knowledge
  • Making adaptation faster
  • Making adaptation more systemic
  • Intensifying international action on climate change adaptation issues

Like the first strategy, these four objectives are linked to 14 actions aimed at implementing the European climate change adaptation policy: 

  • Pushing the boundaries of adaptation knowledge
  • Collecting more and better quality data on climate-related risks and losses
  • Make Climate-ADAPT the authoritative European platform for adaptation
  • Improve adaptation strategies and plans
  • Promote local, individual, and just resilience
  • Integrate climate resilience into national budgetary frameworks
  • Promote nature-based adaptation solutions
  • Accelerate the deployment of adaptation solutions
  • Reduce climate risks
  • Close the gap in protection against climate hazards
  • Ensure the availability and sustainability of fresh water
  • Strengthen international support for climate change resilience and preparedness
  • Increase international funding for strengthening resilience
  • Strengthen global engagement and exchange on adaptation

Implementing this climate adaptation plan requires the involvement of public and private actors, supported by European institutional programs such as the European Climate and Health Observatory, the European Environment Agency, the Horizon Europe program, and the European Space Agency's Copernicus program. These European actors must provide the tools and methodologies enabling each Member State to coordinate and implement climate change adaptation strategies.

Global adaptation

Various initiatives have also been implemented internationally. While the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has generally focused more on climate change mitigation issues, it has now begun work dedicated to adaptation issues, particularly to address the needs of developing countries in this area.

The international adaptation strategy has evolved through the Conferences of the Parties (COPs).

COP7 in Marrakech thus led to the establishment of "National Adaptation Programmes of Action" (NAPAs) aimed at listing the adaptation priorities of least developed countries and finding solutions for their implementation. This COP also endorsed the creation of an Adaptation Fund to finance these projects.

The Nairobi Work Programme was subsequently established at COP11 to assist developing countries in understanding and assessing the impacts of climate change and in implementing adaptation measures.

The Cancun Agreements adopted at COP16 strengthened these initial adaptation measures and led to the establishment of various mechanisms to make them more concrete: 

  • the Green Climate Fund, which is intended to enable wealthy countries to help finance adaptation in developing countries
  • the Cancun Adaptation Framework, whose objective is to reduce the vulnerability of developing countries and address their immediate needs regarding climate change adaptation
  • National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), which are intended to support least developed countries in implementing their adaptation policies
  •  the LEG (Least Developed Countries Expert Group), which is to provide technical support and coordinate the adaptation strategies of signatory parties

Finally, the Paris Agreement, in its Article 7, recognized climate change adaptation as a crucial issue in international climate policy.

Other international initiatives, outside the UN's umbrella, have also emerged to address international challenges related to climate change, such as the Global Commission on Adaptation. Established by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, this organization brings together 17 countries which have committed to publishing a timeline of measures to be implemented as part of a climate plan to adapt the planet to the consequences of climate change.

All these initiatives aim to address numerous challenges, including the financing of adaptation projects, the simplification of technology transfers, and the management of climate migration. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, climate change adaptation is no longer an option but an imperative at all scales, from individuals to international institutions. As the impacts of global warming multiply, it is essential to implement concrete, adapted, and coordinated solutions to strengthen our collective resilience. Whether it's improving water management and supply, securing supply chains, protecting natural environments, or, for wealthy countries, supporting the most vulnerable nations, every action counts to minimize human, economic, and environmental losses in the face of new climatic conditions. Preparing today for an uncertain future means ensuring a safer and more sustainable future for generations to come.

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