Adaptation-Mitigation Synergies and Tradeoffs Recording

Friday, 8th December 2023

This session will explore synergies, and possibly tradeoffs, between adaptation and mitigation. It is clear that ambitious mitigation is also critical to adaptation success. As noted by the AR6 IPCC Synthesis Report, “The effectiveness of adaptation, including ecosystem-based and most water-related options, will decrease with increasing warming”. At the same time, some mitigation measures, deployed at certain scales, can have negative impacts on sustainable development and adaptation. For example, afforestation or production of biomass crops can have adverse socio-economic and environmental impacts, including on biodiversity, food and water security, local livelihoods and the rights of Indigenous Peoples, especially if implemented at large scales and where land tenure is insecure. Many gaps in knowledge remain about these synergies and trade-offs. This session will highlight system transitions, identified in AR6, that can help exploit synergies and avoid trade-off, and also try to identify critical areas for research to inform AR7.