Topic 3

• what are mitigation strategies ?

  • efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon sinks to slow down climate change
  • use renewable energy to replace fossil fuels
• what are adaptation strategies ?

  • efforts to adjust to climate change and its effects in order to reduce harm to people, properties and the environment
  • food technology such as greenhouses to help manage food insecurity
• how does climate action help build community resilience and achieve sustainable development ?

  • communities can resist, adapt to and recover from the impacts of climate change
  • additional investments for climate action is much smaller compared to the costs and losses from the impacts of climate change
  • with fewer loses, the money to rebuild the community will be minimised and development gains achieved will not be lost
• how is climate change a threat multiplier ?

  • it worsens threats to natural and human systems that may be caused by other reasons
  • coral bleaching occurs due to ocean pollution but climate change makes it more likely, adding more stress to these fragile species and threatening the entire ecosystem
  • the loss of biodiversity in coral ecosystems threatens to push many fishing communities to poverty
  • hence, climate change is a threat multiplier, threatening to worsen coral bleaching and poverty in developing countries
• how does climate change constrain development paths ?

  • limit the ability of current and future generations to meet their own needs
  • erode development gains achieved by countries like poverty reduction
  • slow down development progress as money meant for development of infrastructure, education, and economic development is channelled to rebuilding after climate- related hazards like cyclones
  • the costs are especially detrimental to developing countries where the needs for development is the highest and where funds may be lacking
• why does climate change affect disadvantaged communities more ?

  • live in the open with no shelter from weather elements and therefore experience increasing risks from heatwaves, flooding and tropical storms
  • cannot afford higher food prices
  • more vulnerable as more diseases spread due to their limited ability to get medical attention, causing them to become weak and less fit for work
• why does climate change affect developing countries more ?

  
  

  • lack financial ability to put in place measures to reduce the potential impacts of climate change
  • eg. may not be able to afford to construct sea walls along the coast to manage sea level rise and coastal flooding