The necessary roles of archaeology in climate change mitigation and adaptation

Abstract

This chapter addresses the role of archeology in climate change mitigation and adaption. The critical point is that these definitions of mitigation and adaptation, and by extension resilience, entail at least some changes in human behavior. Specifically, there is a need to change human activities with respect to greenhouse gas outputs; there is anticipation of a range of changes that will be needed to address the effects of rising global temperatures; and there is recognition that many current human systems are not as flexible as they could be in the face of anticipated future stresses and shocks. From these starting points comes the next big question: how can the modern world actually go about doing the human behavior parts of mitigation and adaptation and increasing resilience? This chapter demonstrates that archeology is an important source of information for addressing this key question, particularly with respect to nature, rate, and persistence of social change over long-time frames.