ABSTRACT
Adaptation may play an important role in formulating climate change policy alongside real reduction in carbon emissions. The question is whether adaptation is an appropriate primary solution to the problem of climate change instead of mitigation. This chapter explores the main ideas, key proposals and assesses the prospects for adapting ourselves to a sustainable future. Adaptation is about changing our relationship to nature as our climate changes. So, for example, the potential threats to coastal communities from rising sea water may be addressed through building better flood defenses or relocation. To summarize, adaptation is commonly focused on the ways and means we might adapt ourselves to a changing climate. There a wide array of forms that adaptation can take from walking or recycling to direct carbon capture and geoengineering. Major adaptation efforts, such as greater urbanization and reliance on genetically modified foods and nuclear energy, can provide a satisfactory solution.
