The Politics of Adapting to Climate Change

Abstract

This chapter introduces and lays out the central argument of the book. Adaptation and politics are discussed, and we argue for the need to understand climate change adaptation as a political phenomenon. We examine how adaptation has been defined and understood, explaining how this has changed and evolved. Key concepts and major themes in the policy activities and related scholarship are described, as are the relationships with GHG mitigation and climate change impacts assessment. These concepts include resilience, climate risk and vulnerability. The chapter also explains the chapter arrangement, the different contents therein and provides the reader with a rationale and clear guide to the organization of the book.