Climate change is a wicked problem. It is complex, involves multiple interests and stakeholders, comes with uncertainty, is a topic that is of controversy to some, and calls for a great deal of continual action. Wicked problems, because of its nature, are not exactly solvable. Climate change requires a more adaptive and collaborative approach and this is definitely easier said than done.
What are some challenges you’ve faced in adapting to climate change or when working towards a more climate-resilient future in your work and/or in your day-to-day living? What are some possible solutions to those challenges?
I think you have raised some really important points. Climate change is often described as a slow process and that it is difficult to perceive its impacts in real time. However, in many places, these changes are highly visible already. In India, 93% of the days in the first nine months of last year saw extreme weather events, many of which led to significant damage. We’ve also seen this globally - the recent wildfires in California are a stark example. The World Weather Attribution group found that climate change increased the likelihood of such disasters.
Climate change is a wicked problem and needs urgent action that can be sustained. One of the biggest challenges isn’t just identifying these risks - it’s learning to implement solutions effectively. While many great ideas and programs exist, turning them into actionable, community-driven strategies is often the harder part. That’s why I’m so excited about CanAdapt and the opportunity to empower communities of practice to share experiences, learnings, and strategies for building climate resilience.