What is adaptation?
A large body of research is showing that climate change is already impacting on ecosystems, food systems, and on social and economic development. Even with the current mitigation actions being undertaken it is estimated that Victoria’s temperature will experience an average temperature rise 0.9–2.0°C by 2030 and 1.8–3.8°C by 2070.1 This means that communities will need to adapt to the changing climate and the risks and opportunity this offers.
Adaptation is an emerging field of research and practice and as a result there are a number of differing views as to what adaptation is. Click here to view some of these definitions.
VCCCAR has adopted the following definition:
Climate change adaptation is anticipating or monitoring change and undertaking actions to address the consequences of that change.
This definition is an active definition that requires collaborative action across multiple stakeholders, diverse disciplines and institutions to achieve outcomes.
1 Department of Sustainability and Environment. (2008). Climate Change in Victoria: 2008 Summary. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne, Australia.
