(UN) Chapter 10_Updated on Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Which of these climate-friendly actions are best understood as an adaptation? Select all that apply.

• Planting crops to suit the changing climate

• Switching to solar-power energy

• Relocating from high-risk areas

• Planting trees to remove carbon from the atmosphere

Which of these options do you think is the best way forward for tackling climate change?

• Focus on mitigation

• Focus on adaptation

• Do a mix of both

Say your house was getting too hot in the summer months and you decided to install a reflective roof coating and extra windows. Do you think this is a...

• Precautionary measure?

• Reactive approach?

Every country will need to adapt. Yet the countries that are most affected can’t afford to do so and many of the countries that can still haven’t set measurable adaptation targets via national laws and policies.

What do you think is meant by the ‘adaptation gap’?

• A time lag that occurs between adapting to climate change and seeing the benefits of adapting

• The gap between those countries that can afford to adapt and those which cannot

Which sectors of our society will we have to adapt ? Select all that apply.

• 
  Our food

• 
  Our water

• 
  Our homes

• Our healthcare systems

How might agricultural yields change (% increase or decrease) if farmers chose to adapt their way of farming in response to climate change?

• - 3%

• + 7-15%

• - 19-24%

• + 95%

Answer explanation

Without adaptation, climate change could reduce global crop yields by as much as 5-30% by 2050. On the other hand, farmers who adapt by changing planting times, crop varieties, and managing water supplies could increase yields by 7-15% compared to present production rates. But it is important to keep in mind that, as the planet continues to warm (between 1 to 2°C in temperate regions and 1.5 to 3°C in tropical regions), adaptation becomes more difficult and creates fewer benefits.

Which of the following are adaptation options for farming ? Select all that apply.

• 
  Water management

• 
  Switching crop varieties

• 
  Producing lab grown meat

• Controlling the spread of diseases and weeds

What challenges do you think farmers face when adapting to climate change? Tick the answers you think represent the biggest hurdles. Select all that apply.

• Limited funds

• Laziness

• Difficulty finding crops to suit the changing climate

Can you spot which of these climate-ready crops is not real?

• Drought-tolerant rice

• Heat-resistant maize

• Insect-repellent corn

• Storm-resistant soybean

• Disease-resistant cassava

Answer explanation

GE technology has produced crops that can withstand higher temperatures, water scarcity and disease outbreaks . As well as introducing these new varieties, genetic engineering can increase the genetic diversity of a species by introducing new variants of specific genes .

Government action is part of what’s called a ‘top-down’ approach . While communities and businesses can push for change, when it comes to adaptation, governments are still in the driving seat .

Why do you think this is ?

• Governments create laws and policies which, in turn, make it easier (or harder) for farmers to adapt.

• Governments have the sole responsibility for funding agriculture adaptation.

• Governments determine what technology can be used on the land.