DECARBONISATION

4. EQUITABLE AND JUST TRANSITIONS FOR ADAPTATION

The impacts of climate change are exacerbating existing socioeconomic injustices. Low and middle-income countries — which contributed the least to causing the climate crisis — are the most vulnerable to its impacts and have the fewest resources with which to adapt. Climate injustices are evident even within countries. For example, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in the U.S. state of Florida, lower-income, predominantly Black communities haven’t seen the same level of support and attention as more affluent, predominantly white communities. Investments to build resilience, then, must account for inequities in income, education, social capital and political power to avoid unintended consequences and compounding risks for already-vulnerable groups. For example, improving access to water resources for large-scale farmers and agribusiness at the expense of smallholder farmers can exacerbate existing inequities in income and access to natural resources. People often talk of a “just transition” to clean energy systems that will not leave fossil fuel workers and communities behind. Likewise, we need a just transition for climate resilience. This means ensuring groups experiencing disproportionate climate vulnerability have equitable access to resources (distributive justice) and decision-making opportunities (procedural justice). Locally led adaptation, in which local actors are meaningfully involved and empowered in resilience-building projects from design to implementation, is one adaptation approach that can help address structural inequities. A recent study found that leaving vulnerable and affected groups out of adaptation planning and implementation can lead to negative consequences, such as consolidating resources into the hands of wealthier or more influential community members (also known as “elite capture”), limiting local access to resources and land, or even increasing climate vulnerability by implementing ineffective and sometimes harmful “solutions.” There are many examples of efforts to redistribute power to those most acutely affected by the compounding impacts of climate change. For example, Huairou Commission’s Community Resilience Funds and Urban Poor Funds International, administered by Slum Dwellers International, ensure that communities living in low-income and disproportionately vulnerable areas have control over how they spend funding to build their own resilience. In Indonesia, women’s groups use Huairou Commission funds to map climate risks to inform local disaster preparedness plans.

Making Everyone Resilient To Climate Change

When adaptation is done well, it not only builds resilience to climate change impacts, but can bring additional economic and social benefits, and protect against non-climate shocks, too. Adaptation can lead to new market opportunities, boost incomes and crop yields, and protect human health — for example, through reducing heat-induced and water-borne illness. As the threats of climate change continue to mount year after year, scaling up support for climate adaptation is not just an option; it is an imperative for governments, multilateral agencies and funders. With climate impacts happening now, all over the world, adaptation is also not just about preparing for the future; it is about protecting people and economies today.

Source: wri