Climate Change Adaptation and Technology

Climate Change Adaptation and Technology

• WIPO initiated a global survey highlighting varied climate change effects and the requirement for quick adaptation actions.
• Adaptation seeks to improve resilience to climate impacts and lower vulnerability, while growing community strength and flexibility.
• Wealthy nations find it simpler to be adaptable and responsive, due to superior institutions, capabilities and knowledge.
• The IPCC reported that human-induced climate change has accelerated adverse impacts to nature and people.
• Atmospheric CO2 levels have reached 420 ppm, underscoring that climate change mitigation needs reinforcement.
• Adaptation is essential, especially for vulnerable developing nations, and can occur alongside work and cooperation for broader national and international development.
• Intense monsoon rains, droughts and unprecedented forest fires led to climate change adaptation actions increasing in significance.
• Many countries and regions have adaptation strategies, including China, the African Union and the EU; and for developing countries, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) supports countries' adaptation planning.
• By mid-2022, 38% of developing countries had created a National Adaptation Plan (NAP).
• The technology needs assessment (TNA) and related technology action plan (TAP) help countries identify and employ climate technologies.
• Climate change adaptation measures are diverse, ranging from basic methods to complex technology, and technology should occur alongside fundamental changes in production and consumption patterns.
• Novel technologies can be developed within any country's innovation ecosystem to combat climate change.

Vulnerable Smallholder Farmers

• Global food production is threatened, agriculture is weather-dependent and limited species diversity exists.
• Green Technology Book has a agricultural focus on adaptation innovations in agriculture sector.
• Agricultural sector has an estimated 83% of farms being smallholdings with yields being low and vulnerable to erratic events, with female headed households being especially vulnerable
• Simple, inexpensive technologies based on local knowledge are essential to help smallholders adjust to climate change
• Sophisticated and communications technologies are beneficial to help smallholder agriculture efforts

Trends in adaptation innovation

• Technological innovation for adapting to climate change falls behind technological innovations for mitigating climate change
• Adaptation is best achieved with solutions that are diverse and also lower technologically sophisticated
• Patents show innovation in adaptation have had a 6.7% annual growth rate between 1995-2015, but higher-income countries are dominating
• Agriculture and safety technologies and coastal protection technologies are the least transferred groups.
• Innovation is occurring in the agriculture sector with relation to sophisticated practices such as data and control technologies, with mobile technology assisting small farms
• In water conservation and management, developments include remote and in-field sensing, and in rainwater harvesting systems
• Innovation in desalination is moving towards greater efficiency and reduction of coasts, meanwhile there are many innovations in flood barriers, nature-based storage and early warning systems

No-Regret Adaptations

• A "no-regret" solution provides benefits, no matter how severe climate change impacts become
• Cities are highly vulnerable

Risks of Maladaptation

• Maladaptation: The implementation of adaptation initiatives can lead to unexpected negative impacts or increased vulnerability.
• Efficient drip irrigation can inadvertently lead to an increase in freshwater extraction.
• Consideration for potential negative consequences is essential, including impacts outside of the target area and community engagement, social and environmental assessments being legal requirement in most countries

Do It With Nature, Not Against It

• Nature-based solutions: Environmental, socioeconomic, and climate resilience achieved through natural solutions.
• Consists of restoration of wetlands, mangroves and peatlands, protection of coastal and marine ecosystems, sustainable management of farmland and forests and better water efficiency
• Gained traction due to UNEA-5 resolution and must be designed to follow natural processes

Complexity of Technology

• Risk of fragility from higher advanced system and needs are increased
• May require more knowledge to maintain and more expensive
• Can be fixed by standardizing the technology and improving resources