What is adaptation and resilience?

The conversation about climate change is often primarily focused on mitigation, which is preventing the release of additional greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. However, it's important to recognize that a significant amount of global warming has already occurred—according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global average temperature has increased by approximately 1.1 degrees Celsius since the pre-industrial era. While governments worldwide are striving to meet ambitious climate goals, further warming is anticipated before reaching global net zero emissions.

Thus, the field of adaptation and resilience exists to address the existing and anticipated effects of climate change, which are already disrupting ecosystems. Practitioners focus on finding ways to adapt cities, buildings, living environments, and behaviors to cope with these impacts. For example, the City of Bloomington might pursue projects such as implementing green infrastructure to manage stormwater, creating heat resilience plans to protect vulnerable populations during heatwaves, promoting sustainable transportation options to improve air quality, restoring natural habitats to enhance biodiversity and resilience, and investing in urban agriculture to increase food security. These are all ways that urban planning can be adapted to account for the risks posed by climate change.

Adaptation and resilience are crucial for ensuring racial and social equity within communities like Bloomington, as the effects of climate change are disproportionately felt by disadvantaged and minority communities. These populations often lack access to resources and infrastructure to withstand climate impacts and face additional barriers to recovery after extreme events. Factors such as historical disinvestment, systemic inequalities, and limited access to healthcare and social services further exacerbate their vulnerability to climate change impacts. Therefore, prioritizing equity in adaptation planning and decision-making is essential for building a more resilient and inclusive community in Bloomington.