Favouring adaptation over mitigation

Some of the most ardent supporters of adaptation are likely in the fossil fuel industry. If so, it may be classifiable as part of their more quiet misdirection efforts.

While adaptation is necessary, it also takes our attention away from the root cause of our climate woes, namely fossil fuel emissions, and burning carbon in general, which includes the rotting of logged wood into the atmosphere.

Much adaptation involves the building or replacement of infrastructure, and since we have not as yet electrified a lot of our energy sources, this only adds to climate change and the chaotic weathers from which we all suffer, directly or,

often unknowingly, indirectly.

Harvest failures, building destruction and ill health are substantially eroding the wellbeing of those of us thousands of miles from the damage, and it has been increasing since before we reached

1.2 degrees, let alone recent touching 1.5 over the preindustrial baseline. There might be no permanent going back, but we can still slow down the advent of increased harms if we hasten to replace our fossil fuel burning and the resulting global warming and pollution. The time difference will be significant.

It is the need and responsibility of everyone to act so gas, oil, and coal are left in the ground and with them the carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxides that will kill not only ourselves prematurely, but those we do not know, perhaps far away, upon whom we depend for food and other vital material resources and skills.

Glynne Evans Saanich