2024 was the first year to exceed +1.5°C on average. Heat waves, mega-fires, floods, cyclones... all these events and their recurrence no longer seem to surprise anyone. Having failed to tackle the causes, we are already dealing with the consequences of global warming. But this symbolic 1.5°C barrier is nothing compared to the latest UN forecasts, which predict that at this rate, we're heading for a +3.1°C scenario by 2100. The future climate will then have nothing to do with today's climate.
If our efforts to reduce GHG EMISSIONS emissions and our impact on ecosystems must continue and even intensify, we must at the same time prepare our societies and economies for a world of at least +2C°. This is whatclimate change adaptation policies are all about.
What's the difference between climate mitigation and climate change adaptation?
First and foremost, we need to differentiate between climate mitigation and climate adaptation actions.
Climate mitigation encompasses all actions taken to curb global warming. This essentially involves reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, as well as preserving and restoring carbon-capturing ecosystems. The GHG emission reduction targets set under the Paris Agreements are the benchmark for climate mitigation policies, with the aim of keeping global warming below 2.5C.
climate change adaptation refers to all actions taken to increase our resilience and that of ecosystems to the consequences of global warming. It is based on the principle that prevention is always better than cure. This reduces both the potential loss of human life and 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 should make it possible to reduce the human and financial cost of global warming.
The cost of inaction
According to a study carried out by IC4E, the cost of climate adaptation in France would represent around 2.3 billion euros per year, a sum which, although high, remains well below the financial cost of the consequences of global warming.
A report published by ADEME in 2023 indicates that a warming of 3.5 degrees in 2100 compared to the pre-industrial era could cost France more than 10 GDP points per year compared to a scenario without global warming, which would currently represent almost 280 billion euros per year. This is what is commonly known as the cost of climate inaction.
Equally interesting is the fact that, of these 10 GDP points, 6 would be due to natural disasters occurring outside France, but which could have a major impact on the value chain of French companies. This highlights the absolute necessity, in a globalized economy, of having a global vision of global warming adaptation strategies. A flooded factory in China, or crops hit by extreme drought in South America, will unequivocally have a direct impact on the French economy.
climate change adaptation in practice
The imbalances brought about by global warming are causing upheavals that vary widely from region to region. Droughts, floods, soil erosion, submersion and fires are all risks that vary according to relief, geographical location and local economic activities. For example, a drop in snow levels is likely to have far fewer consequences in Marseille than in Chamonix, in terms of both ecosystem and economic impact.
While some measures are planned at national or international level, their implementation often relies on local actions adapted to specific contexts. These responses are also organized at different levels: that of individuals, companies, communities and states.
The essential role of public authorities
More concretely, local communities and public authorities have a fundamental role to play in protecting populations and infrastructures that goes far beyond simple crisis management. In France, plans for the prevention of natural hazards (PPRN) are multiplying to map vulnerable areas, limit urbanization in these sectors and anticipate climatic disasters. France's National Adaptation Plan (PNACC)climate change adaptation aims to guide the country's adaptation policy by identifying priority projects and implementing measures to limit the risks and consequences of global warming. The latest French PNACC is based on a warming scenario of 4°C by 2100. Published at regular intervals by the French government, it is enriched by the results of exchanges 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, to reduce heat islands and improve rainwater management, and the introduction of insurance risk management systems to support households and businesses faced with losses linked to natural disasters. A policy of support for local authorities is also essential if we are to manage risks at local level.
Generally speaking, "no-regrets" measures that deliver immediate benefits, regardless of the global warming scenario, are given priority in a national plan. These include better management of water resources, energy efficiency policies and the restoration of natural ecosystems. These measures promote greater resilience while reducing the overall environmental impact of human activity.
Business adaptation: a strategic challenge
While governments and local authorities are in the front line when it comes to implementing policies to adapt to climate change, businesses also have a role to play, first and foremost in strengthening their resilience in the face of global warming. For companies, integrating climate change adaptation into their climate plan is a strategic challenge that will guarantee their long-term survival.
For example, securing supply chains is crucial in the face of disruptions caused by phenomena such as floods, which can block transport infrastructures, or droughts, which affect the availability of raw materials. The more complex a company's value chain, the greater the risks it faces.
To alleviate these problems, some companies are turning to short supply chains, to reduce their dependence on distant suppliers and reinforce the robustness of their operations. Others are investing in adapted infrastructures, such as flood-resistant buildings, or diversifying their sources of supply to limit risks. The most exposed industries, such as agri-food, are integrating more sustainable approaches by favoring local raw materials or those better adapted to climate change.
Most non-financial reporting standards, CSRD at the forefront, now encourage companies to take into account the impacts that climate change will have on their activities, whether in terms of risks or opportunities. This involves materiality analysis, a prerequisite for any climate plan, which should force companies to estimate the level of dependence of their activities on different criteria (climate, biodiversity, water resources, etc.). The underlying idea is to help them identify their potential vulnerabilities and encourage them to take appropriate measures to ensure their resilience, and that of their stakeholders, in the event of major upheavals.
Food safety at the heart of agricultural sector adaptation
Agriculture is undoubtedly one of the sectors most directly impacted by global warming. Prolonged dry spells and irregular rainfall are forcing farmers to adopt adaptation strategies. These include crops that are more resistant to drought, such as certain cereal varieties that are better adapted to arid soils. New crop rotation techniques also help to preserve soil and enhance its capacity to absorb water.
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, which often incorporate local knowledge and technological innovation, play a key role in ensuring food security in the face of increasingly unpredictable climatic conditions.Relocating certain crops to regions more conducive to their development is also a solution that is gradually making inroads. Vineyards are expanding in the north of France, while other crops, less water-hungry and more resilient in the face of hot weather, are replacing them in the south, permanently altering the crop rotation.
In short, climate change adaptation offers a multitude of complementary responses, adapted to each level of intervention. It calls for collective, concerted action, with everyone - citizens, businesses and local authorities - playing an essential role. Insulating one's home or installing a rainwater harvesting tank is thus, at the individual level, a way of taking part in this dynamic, in the same way as the initiatives taken by economic and institutional players to cope with the growing impact of climate change.
Adaptation in the European Union: issues and challenges
In 2009, the European Union published a White Paper on Adaptation, which aimed to lay the foundations for the EU's climate change adaptation strategy.
This was followed in 2012 by the online launch of Climate-ADAPT, a platform designed to aggregate data and information on adaptation methodologies and actions implemented in different European territories to reduce climate impacts.
2013: the first EU strategy on climate change adaptation
The first EU strategy forclimate change adaptation was then launched in 2013.
Its main aim was to understand and assess the climatic impacts and adaptation issues facing Europe.
This strategy focuses on three main priorities:
- Promoting action by EU member states
- Promoting informed decision-making
- Focusing on the most vulnerable key sectors
Eight major actions were 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 monitoring actions taken, cost of damage and cost and benefits of adaptation, local and regional risk assessment, decision-making tools, etc.).
- Develop the Climate-ADAPT platform into a "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)
- Improving infrastructure resilience
- Promoting 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 had been practically achieved, they also demonstrated that the European Union's territory remained highly vulnerable to the upheavals associated with climate change. Following a public consultation, a new strategy was therefore launched in 2021, entitled. "Building a Resilient Europe". This will follow on from the 2013 strategy by identifying adaptation solutions, ensuring their effective implementation and applying a genuine policy of support for territories.
This strategy is built around four key areas:
- Making adaptation smarter by improving knowledge
- Faster adaptation
- Making adaptation more systemic
- Intensify international action on the subjects ofclimate change adaptation
As in the first strategy, these 4 objectives are associated with 14 actions designed to implement the European policy of climate change adaptation:
- Pushing back the limits of adaptation knowledge
- Collect more and better data on climate-related risks and losses
- Make Climate-ADAPT Europe's leading adaptation platform
- Improving adaptation strategies and plans
- Promoting local, individual and fair resilience
- Integrating climate resilience into national budget frameworks
- Promoting nature-based adaptation solutions
- Accelerating the deployment of adaptation solutions
- Reducing climate-related risks
- Bridging the protection gap against climatic hazards
- Guaranteeing the availability and sustainability of fresh water
- Strengthen international support for climate change resilience and preparedness
- Increasing international funding for resilience-building
- Strengthening global commitment and exchanges on adaptation
Implementing this climate adaptation plan requires the involvement of public and private players, supported by European institutional programs including the European Climate and Health Observatory, the European Environment Agency, the Horizon Europe program and the European Space Agency's Copernicus program. The aim of these European players is to provide the tools and methodologies that will enable each member state to coordinate and implement strategies atclimate change adaptation.
Adaptation on a global scale
Various initiatives have also been launched at international level. While the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has generally focused more on mitigation issues, it has now begun work on adaptation, particularly to meet the needs of developing countries.
The international adaptation strategy has been built up over the course of several Conferences of the Parties (COPs).
COP7 in Marrakech established the "National Adaptation Programmes of Action" (NAPAs), which list the adaptation priorities of the least developed countries and identify solutions for their implementation. The COP also endorsed the creation of an Adaptation Fund to finance these projects.
The Nairobi Work Programme was then set up at COP11 to support developing countries in understanding and assessing the impacts of climate change, and in implementing adaptation measures.
The Cancùn Agreements adopted at COP16 strengthened these initial adaptation measures and made it possible to set up various mechanisms to make them more concrete:
- the Green Climate Fund, which will enable rich countries to help finance adaptation in developing countries
- the Cancùn Adaptation Framework, which aims to reduce the vulnerability of developing countries and meet their immediate needs in terms of climate change adaptation
- National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) to support the least developed countries in implementing their adaptation policies.
- LEG (Least Developed Countries Expert Group), which provides technical support and coordinates the adaptation strategies of signatory parties.
Finally, Article 7 of the Paris Agreement recognizes climate change adaptation as a crucial issue in international climate policy.
Other international initiatives, outside the aegis of the UN, have also developed to address the international challenges of climate change, such as the Global Commission on Adaptation. Created by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, this organization brings together 17 countries that have committed to publishing a timetable of measures to be implemented within a climate plan to adapt the planet to the consequences of climate change.
All these initiatives aim to meet a number of challenges, including financing adaptation projects, simplifying technology transfer and managing climate migration.
Conclusion
In conclusion, climate change adaptation is no longer an option, but an imperative necessity at every level, from individuals to international institutions. As the impacts of global warming multiply, it is essential to implement concrete, appropriate 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, every action counts in minimizing human, economic and environmental losses in the face of new climatic conditions. Preparing today for an uncertain future means ensuring a safer, more sustainable future for generations to come.
Sources :
- "European and international framework for climate change adaptation"Ministry of Ecology, 22/12/2023
- "Climate risks and their costs for France".ADEME, December 2023
- "Climate change: what to replace crops that have become "unnatural"?"Plein Champs, 14/11/2023
- "The international framework for adapting to climate change"Resource Center for Climate Change Adaptation, 03/08/2023
- "Adapt, do nothing... how much does it cost?", Resource Center forclimate change adaptation, 26/06/2023
- "Europe: its growing role in helping member states adapt to climate"Resource Center for Climate Change Adaptation, 06/12/2023
- "What is climate change adaptation?"Agence Française de Développement, 07/11/2022
- "At least €50bn/year of public investment to adapt"I4CE, Vivian Depoues and Guillaume Dolques, 15/09/2022
- "THEclimate change adaptation"Our environment, 08/17/2022
- "Giving ourselves the means to adapt to the consequences of climate change in France: How much are we talking about?"I4CE, Vivian Depoues, Guillaume Dolques and Morgane Nicol, June 2022
- "Climate change adaptation: definition"Youmatter, 07/06/2021
- "Building a resilient Europe - the European Union's new strategy forclimate change adaptation"European Commission, 24/02/2021
- "EU adaptation strategy"European Commission, 16/04/2013
- "EU Adaptation StrategyEuropean Commission
