Climate Change

Mitigation and Adaptation

Dr. Abdul-Sattar Nizami

Sustainable Development Study Centre (SDSC)
Government College University, Lahore
 What is the Problem?
o People are observing new trends in disaster impacts
o Traditional weather prediction does not work
o Traditional disaster planning and policy are not
working
o New development activities are going on, without
further consideration of future climatic scenario
Thus, there is a lack of:
– Proper perception of climate change
– Proper understanding and correlation
– Proper inter-linkages, and
– Appropriate Actions
 What is Climate Change?
o Because of increasing human activities at different levels,
prominent changes occur in the climate and natural
environment
o Climate change is already happening:
– The global mean surface temperature in the 20th century
has risen by about 0,6 °C.
o Climate change is also projected:
– The average sea level is projected to rise by between 0.09
and 0.88 m
– The global mean surface temperature is projected to
increase by 1.4-5.8°C by 2100
o Climate change projections face some crucial issues:
– The projections are often very coarse, and lack local
details
– The projections are often far into future, not immediate
future
– Better in predicting average change than extreme climatic
conditions
Can we avoid climate change ?
No
Can we reduce climate change ?
Yes
 Climate Change and Disasters
o Climate change will have a variety of impacts in
terms of natural disasters:
– More droughts, floods, heat waves, water shortages

– Increasingly diversion of the typhoon path

o Impacts will hit the poor hardest

o Precautionary principle
o Climate Change impacts are multiplied with misguided
development
 Climate Change and Vulnerability
o Climate change impacts are related to vulnerability of
different types: social, cultural, economic etc.

o Important issues are: where are the vulnerable areas, and

who are the most vulnerable

o Climate change impacts should be seen at different levels

(like international, national and local), and at different
issues (like eco-system, settlements, food, health and
water)

o Climate change impact and capacity assessment

o Climate change vulnerability can be assessed in different

ways: through stakeholder, resource mapping, and
sustainable livelihood analysis
 Mitigation
• To decrease force or
intensity.
• To alleviate, lower risk.
• To reduce greenhouse
gases emissions.
• To enhance sinks of
emissions.
Mitigations and Adaptations are complements, not trade offs.
Adaptation
• To manage the change in
environment.
• To alter the exposure.
• To increase capacity to
adjust.
• To reduce the sensitivity.
• To avoid the unavoidable
impacts of Climate change.
Primary air pollutants and their sources
 Co-benefits of Reducing Emissions
o Clean air quality

o Better public health

o Agriculture production

o Energy security

o Circular economy

o Employment

o Poverty alleviation
Mitigation
Avoid emissions

Reduce emissions

Switch fuels

Sequester

Off
set
Why Mitigation is Important ?
o Mitigation is necessary to avoid the worst
impacts of climate change.
o Climate change impacts are not distributed
equally.
o Mitigation presents economic opportunities.
o Mitigation can improve public health.
o Mitigation requires action at all levels.
 Strategies for Climate Change Mitigation

o Renewable Energy

o Energy Efficiency

o Carbon Pricing

o Carbon Capture and Storage

 Electricity without fossil fuels
burning.

Renewable Energy
Solar, wind, and hydro power emit
little to no greenhouse gases during
operation.
Reduce emissions from
transportation and heating.

Scaling up renewable energy can

reduce overall greenhouse gas
emissions from the energy sector.
 Energy Efficiency
Optimizing processes and technologies to minimize
energy waste.

Upgrading to energy-efficient appliances and

equipment.

Improved insulation and building.

Energy-efficient lighting systems.

Efficient transportation systems and vehicles.

 Carbon pricing puts a financial
cost on greenhouse gas
emissions, creating economic
incentives to reduce emissions.
Carbon Pricing
Businesses and individuals are
motivated to adopt cleaner and
more efficient technologies and
practices.

Carbon pricing encourages

investment in renewable energy
and energy efficiency solutions.

Carbon pricing Leading to more

sustainable economic
decisions.
 Carbon Capture and Storage
o This technology captures carbon dioxide emissions
from power plants and industrial facilities.
o Captured carbon dioxide is transported and stored
underground, preventing it from being released into
the atmosphere.
o It can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from large-
scale industrial sources.
o It provides a pathway for continued use of fossil fuels
while reducing their environmental impact.
Benefits of Climate Change Mitigation

Economic
Benefits

Environmental
Benefits
 Environmental Benefits
o Slow down the pace of global warming.
o Mitigating the frequency and intensity of extreme
weather events.
o Lower emissions preserve ecosystems,
biodiversity, and natural resources.
o By reducing emissions, we can slow down the
rate of melting ice caps and glaciers.
o Reduces air pollution and improves air quality.
 Health Benefits
o Cleaner air can lead to lower rates of respiratory
diseases and improved lung function.
o Improved water quality reduces the risk of
waterborne diseases.
o Promotes overall better health outcomes.
o Reduced air pollution decreases cardiovascular
problems and other chronic health conditions.
o Cleaner environments contribute to improved mental
health and well-being.
 Economic Benefits
o Climate change mitigation efforts create new job
opportunities.
o Investing in clean technologies and infrastructure
stimulates economic growth.
o Transitioning to a low-carbon economy can attract
investments, foster entrepreneurship, and enhance
competitiveness.
o Energy efficiency measures reduce energy costs for
businesses and households.
Challenges and Barriers: Mitigation

Political Barriers

Economaic Barriers

Technological Barriers
Political Barriers
Preference of short-term economic interests
over long-term mitigation due to political
pressures.

Political polarization and ideological differences

can hinder mitigation policies.

Lobbying and influence may discourage

politicians from supporting aggressive climate
action.

Lack of public awareness or can influence

politicians' priorities and actions.
 Economic Barriers
o Industries may resist climate change mitigation due to
concerns about potential job losses.
o The upfront costs of transitioning to cleaner technologies
can be a barrier for industries.
o Industries may worry about losing competitiveness if they
have to comply with stricter environmental regulations
while competitors in other regions do not.
o Uncertainty in new low-carbon technologies may
discourage industries from mitigation.
o Increased operational costs can hinder industry support
for climate change mitigation efforts.
 Technological Barriers
o Some mitigation strategies are not yet economically
viable or technologically feasible in some areas.
o Limited availability of infrastructure or resources can
hinder the mitigation strategies in specific regions.
o Lack of advanced technologies or expertise may pose
challenges for mitigation measures in some areas.
o Variations in geographical and environmental conditions
can limit the effectiveness of mitigation strategies in
some regions.
o Economic constraints and limited financial resources
may restricts mitigation in some areas.
 Key Points: Mitigation
o Climate change mitigation is crucial to avoid the
worst impacts of global warming and protect the
environment, public health, and economy.

o Strategies such as renewable energy, energy

efficiency, carbon pricing, carbon capture and
storage are key in reducing greenhouse gas
emissions.
o Mitigation efforts can create new jobs,
stimulate economic growth, improve public
health, and promote sustainable
development.

o Overcoming barriers, including political,

economic, and technological challenges, is
essential for effective climate change
mitigation.

o Collective action at all levels is needed to

achieve meaningful and lasting results in
mitigating climate change and creating a
more sustainable future.
Climate Change Adaptation

o Implementation of climate change mitigation measures

needs time.

o Applicability of climate change adaptation is

increasingly recognized.

o Focus needs to be on community based adaptation,

and local government policy options.
A few steps on climate change adaptation include:

1) Preliminary climate risk assessment,

2) Assess priorities and plan follow-up,
3) Raise awareness,
4) Establish and enhance partnership,
5) Highlight climate related vulnerability with other
actors,
6) Document and share experiences, and
7) Promote advocacy for adaptive actions.
 Adaptation Strategies

Infrastructure Water Ecosystem-based

improvements management adaptation

Community
engagement and Disaster preparedness
capacity building
Infrastructure Improvements

Risk
Assessment

Climate-
Energy
Resilient
Efficiency
Construction

Resilient
Transportation
Networks

Green Sustainable
Infrastructure Financing

Smart
Technologies
 Water Management

Integrated Water
Rainwater Flood Control
Resources
Harvesting Measures
Management

Drought Water-Resilient Water Efficiency

Preparedness Agriculture Technologies

Cross-Boundary
Waste Water Groundwater
Water
Recycling Management
Management
 Ecosystem based Adaptation

Promoting Biodiversity

Coastal Protection

Forest Management

Wetland Restoration

Urban Green Spaces

Agroforestry Practices
Community Engagement and Capacity Building

Stakeholder
Involvement

Local Knowledge
Utilization

Community-Based
Monitoring

Education and
Awareness

Resilient Livelihoods

Local Adaptation
Planning
 Disaster Preparedness

Risk Assessment

Early Warning Systems

Evacuation Plans

Emergency Response Training

Financial Preparedness

Health System Preparedness

What is Community Based Adaptation?
o Community based adaptation (CBA) is getting
increasing attention.
o Adaptation responses to date have been largely
reactive rather than proactive.
o Proactive Micro-Adaptation (PMA) has a
significant potential to be a crucial component of
strategies to address impacts of climate change.
o Further, proactive adaptation has considerable
policy potential at various levels.
Climate Change Adaptation Model
 How CBA can be practiced? Coastal Zone
o Climate change has affected the coastal zone of the
Philippines
o The worst sufferers are the fishing communities, due to
change in the coastal eco-system
o Adaptation measures include local government policies,
awareness raising among different sectors, and national
government strategies and policies
 How CBA can be practiced? Drought
o A significant change of rainfall pattern is observed in Western
India, resulting 2-3 consecutive drought years
o The worst effect is on livelihoods: agriculture, and animal
husbandry
o To cope with 3 consecutive years of drought is beyond
community coping capacities
o Tradition drought proofing needs consideration of climate
change uncertainties
o Collective efforts are being undertaken for drought proofing
o These measures, while implemented at community level,
should be part of the local development policies
 How CBA can be practiced? Flood
o Central Vietnam is experiencing large floods, often
resulted due to catastrophic rain.
o Agriculture, related livelihood options are deeply
affected
o In rural areas, the adaptation measures are more on
participatory planning, awareness raising, and
implementation.
o In urban areas, CBA is more related to urban planning,
local development planning and policy, and establishing
effective communication system.
How CBA can be practiced? Climate Information

o Providing right climate information to farmers is

one of key issue
o A few steps are:
 Providing climate outlook
 Transferring global to local outlook
 Translating climate outlook to local scenario
 Communication to local farmers
 Issues of Community Based Adaptation
o The key issue of climate change community based adaptation is
the right information to the community
o Involvement of the community in the process is critical, and is
linked to the ownership of the adaptation actions
o Institutionalization at local government development plan is a
definite challenge
o Coordination among NGO, local government, and academic is
crucial
o High demand for training/awareness raising activities among
stakeholders
 Climate Change Adaptation - Local

o Incorporate the recommended actions into local

government policies
o Special emphasis should be given on agriculture, health
and education services in the local governments
o Training and awareness raising of local government
managers.
o Resource commitment at local government is the key
issue for the success of its adaptation actions
o Multi-stakeholder cooperation is required at local level
 Climate Change Adaptation - National

o National and international policies set the context for

facilitating Proactive micro adaptation (or community
based adaptation).
o Good policy coordination on a range of proactive
adaptation measures and actions at various levels can
help avoid mal-adaptation.
o Resource mobilization is essential.
o Climate change impacts are crosscutting in nature, and
require synergies.
Climate Change Adaptation - International

o International climate negotiations to date, however, have paid

inadequate attention to community based climate change
adaptation
o Bilateral and multilateral development agency should have
policy on climate change adaptation
o Actions needs to be taken at international levels should have
following emphasis:
– Efforts to link with other international initiatives
– Emphasis on near future scenario

– Risk management approach

THANK YOU !!!

Email: nizami_pk@yahoo.com
asnizami@gcu.edu.pk

Website: https://abdulsattarnizami.academia.edu/