Environmental Mitigation: A "This AND" Issue

Climate change is shifting the definition of extremes for the country. This year, we ran out of letters in the alphabet to name tropical storms in the Atlantic, AND hurricane season doesn’t end until November 30th. 500-year rain events (which have a 0.2 percent chance of happening in any given year) are happening multiple times in a decade. Across the southwestern United States, extended heatwaves pushed temperatures into the triple digits for many days, AND historic wildfires continue to rage along the West Coast.

Communities aren’t going to face a single environmental risk in a changing climate. The landscape across the country includes places like Miami Dade county that will be facing water stress, heat stress, AND increased hurricanes at the same time. The increase in the frequency and severity of these natural disasters represent the symptoms of a changing climate and not the cause, which is increasing greenhouse gases. Environmental mitigation focuses on addressing the causes, such as decreasing greenhouse gas emissions through alternative energy sources, carbon capture technology, and environmental restoration efforts. On the other hand, adaptation focuses on building sea walls, developing drought-tolerant crops, and floodproofing, which prepare communities for the future impacts of climate change.

All of these are necessary. However, in 2014 the International Panel on Climate Change stated in its report, “Many adaptation and mitigation options can help address climate change, but no single option is sufficient by itself. Effective implementation depends on policies and cooperation at all scales and can be enhanced through integrated responses that link mitigation and adaptation with other societal objectives.”

There is no silver bullet for preparing for the extremes of climate change, and communities are going to face more than one. Given this reality, international, federal, state, and local governments will need to choose a “this AND” approach to investing in science, technology, and policies that address the symptoms (adaptation) and the causes (mitigation) of climate change.