Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
thinking that adaptation is a matter of spending funds to help poor farmers protect
their existing way of life, when they need a far more forward-looking vision that
helps threatened communities into urban jobs.
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Developing countries have been critical of European donors for shifting too far
away from mitigation towards a very generalised focus on adaptation that reduces
obligations linked to their own pollution. With e
orts to limit global warming to
tolerable levels (mitigation) no longer su
cient, more experts advocate at least
some complementary focus on how to manage its e
cials
indeed insist that the focus on mitigation projects, aimed at meeting quite arbitrary
and unrealistic emissions targets, has shifted out of strategic self-interest to focus
more on adaptation
ects (adaptation). EU o
that is, on helping the most vulnerable countries contain and
temper the impact of climate-induced damage. They lament that spending on
mitigation is still easier to sell politically; building wind farms is a very visible and
tangible action. This contrasts with the more nebulous political and social measures
that are necessary for civic adaptation to impending climate insecurity. Yet, some
scientists argue that climate security leads to an arti
-
cial separating out of those
extreme weather events caused by man-made climate change and skews aid for
adaptation towards cases driven by a climate security agenda and away from more
general vulnerability of the poorest communities. Many in developing states com-
plain that this type of thinking re
ects an e
ort on the part of richer states to avoid
any legal penalties for climate disasters that
pollution causes in poor societies.
The tension between security and development objectives permeates ever-sharper
debates over the balance between mitigation and adaptation.
'
their
'
Con
ict and migration
As already pointed out, the relationship between con
ict and climate-triggered
migration is a staple of much analytical prediction. Rhetorically, European ministers
most commonly repudiate the
approach to managing climate
migration. The stated preference is for a more subtle approach based on cooperation
with third countries aimed at
'
fortress Europe
'
'
managing
'
the impact of climate change on migratory
ows. The then British energy and climate change minister Chris Huhne insisted
that UK policy aims to avoid the lifeboat-mentality:
faced with changing patterns of
migration, the international community cannot simply pull down the shutters. We
must have the political will and institutional readiness to cope with greater numbers
of people
'
eeing environmental change
…
many countries will be tempted to raise
their defences against
eeing people. Barriers that will undermine a liberal world
order that has served Britain well.
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Migration is talked of as a positive adaptation
strategy rather than something only to be contained. One European o
'
cial
is
adamant: closing borders would be
'
the worst possible response
'
.
