Page 22 - Governing Congo Basin Forests in a Changing Climate • Olufunso Somorin

Chapter 1
1.1 Climate Change Policy: Adaptation and Mitigation
Anthropogenic interference in the climate system is a real and growing threat to societies, economies and the environment (Chomitz et al., 2006; Palmer and Engel, 2007). There is now a nearly global consensus that human-induced climate change is indeed occurring, implying several consequences for humans, societies and the planet. Over the last two decades, all countries that are Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have recognized the need to provide policy responses and actions to combat climate change. It has been implied by many scholars that the global causes and effects of climate variability and change imply the need for international collective action for an efficient, effective and equitable policy response, from both developed and developing countries (Stern, 2006; Maartens et al., 2009; Parry, 2009). The latest IPCC reports (2014) emphasize that in most countries, climate change is now considered to be a constraint to achieving sustainable development. That is why climate policies are believed to be more effective when consistently embedded within broader strategies designed to make national development pathways more sustainable.
Within the climate convention1, adaptation and mitigation are two necessary components of a strategy to tackle climate change (Figure 1-1). Mitigation comprises all human activities and interventions aimed at reducing emission sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases (GHGs) (IPCC, 2007; Forsius et al., 2013). Mitigation actions are expected to delay and reduce damages caused by climate change, thus providing environmental and socio-economic benefits (Ravindranath, 2007). On the other hand, adaptation in the context of climate change refers to any adjustment in systems in response to climate change impacts, aimed at moderating harm or exploiting beneficial opportunities (Klein et al., 2005; IPCC, 2007). The IPCC (2007) reports that adaptation and mitigation can be complementary, substitutable or independent of each other. Both adaptation and mitigation depend on capital assets, including social capital, and both affect vulnerability and GHG emissions; and through this
1 The ultimate objective of the UNFCCC is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations “at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human induced) interference with the climate system.” It states that “such a level should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened, and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.” Article 2 of the Convention
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