Importance Of Adaptation Plan

Adaptation Plans

Adaptation is the act of adapting to the effects of climate change which is important in dealing with the impacts of climate change that are already happening as well as preparing for future impacts (UNFCCC, 2008). Adaptation planning enables countries to generate and implement national adaptation plans so as to identify medium and long term adaptation needs. Adaptation planning is a continuous process; that is guided by the country. This process is participatory, transparent and gender sensitive in planning for current and future climate change impacts (UNFCCC, 2008; Preston et al, 2011). When generating developing adaptation plans governments, regional authorities and local communities must, together plan and decide on

However, the most successful approach has been that of, increasing the resilience of ecological and human systems (Schipper, 2007). This approach has been more successful as it strengthens the system’s capacity to cope with shocks brought about by climate change. Resilience in this instance is defined as; the ability of the any system to absorb changes, whilst retaining the same functionality as before (Hansen et al., 2003). Adaptation planning with the aim of only designing and implementing plans are usually not sustainable. Adaptation plans should be aimed at building resilience, whilst reducing vulnerability (Smit and Wandel,

Kenya, India and Denmark have approached climate change differently. Here I will be discussing the differences and similarities practiced by these countries in climate change adaptation. India and Kenya are both developing countries and one would expect that their approach should be slightly similar. On the other hand Denmark is a developed country with more resources than Kenya and India. In Kenya the approach that has been used is, to disengage government services to those areas vulnerable to climate change due arid conditions. In place of governmental services introduce local organisations that reduce the vulnerability, whilst increasing livelihood security. These local organisations force communities to be less dependent on urban areas by allowing for rural sustainable adaptation strategies (Washington-Ottombre and Pijanowski, 2013). One could say that these local organizations use indigenous knowledge systems to adapt to climate change. This approach by Kenyan authorities has strengthened the adaptation strategies for the local communities thereby rendering them less susceptible to climate change. In India the approach that was utilized was to develop spatial plans to integrate climate change issues at local level. For India this approach was less successful as it required three processes to take place which are; to create awareness, analyse the situation and then act. It was found that