Dealing with risk

Abstract

This chapter is concerned with how we can respond to climate change in order to reduce its adverse impacts. Following international practice, these responses can broadly be grouped into mitigation (reduction in the causes of climate change) and adaptation (reduction of the impact of climate change), which itself has significant overlaps with disaster risk reduction. It is important to remember that, with appropriate responses, climate change need not always be detrimental, and indeed proactive responses can exploit opportunities for human development.