Climate Sense

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Danish perspectives on climate

change and adaptation strategies

Connie Hedegaard, Minister for Climate and Energy, Denmark

hroughout history mankind has had to adapt to the

prevailing conditions of planet Earth – adjusting his

whole way of life according to local climate variability

and other related events. But never before has mankind faced

such extenuating pressures and threats to its very existence.

The increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmos-

phere is causing unprecedented changes to the balance of our

climate system and forcing us to adapt to conditions of which

we have no previous experience. Furthermore, the global popu-

lation continues to rise and is expected to reach 9 billion by

2050. This generates an increasing need for fresh and adequate

food and water, new infrastructure and sustainable develop-

ment – all while addressing climate change. This challenge is

nothing short of what Al Gore has repeatedly referred to as: ‘a

planetary emergency’.

Changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, sea ice extent, sea-

level rise and the frequency of extreme weather events have already

been observed, with more expected to come. It is predicted that in

the coming decades billions of people will experience

water shortages, decreases in crop yield and food supply,

increased drought and flooding, inundation of coastal

areas and health risks to which they are not accustomed.

All these things combine to threaten the very lives and

livelihoods of the world’s people. This is particularly

true for those in developing countries, especially least

developed countries and small island developing states

(SIDS), which are extremely vulnerable and less able to

adapt to climate change. The effects of climate change

facing the world’s poor people and vulnerable groups

will worsen their already precarious living conditions

and potentially reverse the progress of sustainable devel-

opment. The lack of financial, social and technological

resources available to the world’s most vulnerable makes

them less resilient. As such, we have a moral impera-

tive and the opportunity – in connection with the 15th

United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP15) – to

improve this situation.

daptation

and

itigation

trategies

Image: Henning Thing

The Arctic sea ice extent in 2007 was 38% below average, resulting in an ice-free opening through the Northwest Passage that lasted several weeks.

This anomaly caught the attention of the world, including the scientific community