Which of the following is an example of climate change adaptation?

Which of the following is an example of climate change adaptation?

• A. Building sea walls to protect coastlines.
• B. Implementing carbon pricing to reduce emissions.
• C. Expanding fossil fuel exploration.
• D. Planting drought-tolerant crops as adaptation.

Answer: (A)

Adaptation means taking actions to reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. Building sea walls to protect coastlines is a direct example because it changes the physical environment to withstand higher sea levels and more intense storms, lowering the risk to people, buildings, and infrastructure along the coast. The other options address different approaches: carbon pricing targets emissions to reduce future climate change (mitigation), expanding fossil fuel exploration can increase future emissions (not adaptation), and planting drought-tolerant crops helps agriculture cope with drought (also adaptation, but the sea wall example clearly illustrates a proactive, large-scale adjustment to coastal climate risks).

Adaptation means taking actions to reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. Building sea walls to protect coastlines is a direct example because it changes the physical environment to withstand higher sea levels and more intense storms, lowering the risk to people, buildings, and infrastructure along the coast. The other options address different approaches: carbon pricing targets emissions to reduce future climate change (mitigation), expanding fossil fuel exploration can increase future emissions (not adaptation), and planting drought-tolerant crops helps agriculture cope with drought (also adaptation, but the sea wall example clearly illustrates a proactive, large-scale adjustment to coastal climate risks).