What is adaptation?
Adaptation involves adjustments by society to minimise the adverse impacts of climate change and to take advantage of opportunities that may arise.
What does this mean for everyday living? We may have to heat our homes less or install more air conditioning in offices. We may even have to change what plants we choose for our gardens by using more water resistant strains. Other examples of actions could include the recycling of rainwater, the installation of water saving devices and strengthening coastal and river flood defences.
The role of ESPACE
ESPACE seeks to change the philosophy and practice of spatial planning by ensuring that adaptation to climate change is taken into account. So far, adaptation has not been sufficiently recognised within national and international policies. This is in stark contrast to mitigation, where international policies like the Kyoto Protocol have brought to attention the need to reduce greenhouse gases on a global scale.
The tide has now begun to turn on adaptation, thanks to extensive scientific research. This has paved the way for projects such as ESPACE by providing a better platform from which to influence planning decisions that will help to curtail the long-term impacts.
By raising awareness about climate change and adaptation, testing adaptation measures and developing policy, ESPACE will play a pivotal role in ensuring that climate change is acknowledged as a major influence on planning decisions and processes.
For more information about the aims and actions of ESPACE see about.
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