Climate change adaptation and mitigation

Climate change constitutes one of the biggest societal challenges which need to be addressed both through mitigation and adaptation. This is also highlighted in the UN Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action. Increased greenhouse gas emissions due to human activities are causing rapid and long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Protecting and restoring important ecosystems such as forests, peatlands, wetlands and kelp forests, contribute to much needed carbon storage, while sustainable use and management of forests and agricultural lands can reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions [1], [2]. Thus, each nations’ ambitions to reach the targets in the Paris agreement can also be addressed through nature-based solutions.

Even if the Paris agreement targets are met, shifts in temperatures and weather patterns are still to be expected. Consequently, there is a need for society to adapt to climate change effects like more extreme rainfall events causing stormwater and flooding issues, landslides and erosion, higher temperatures causing heat islands, drought, shifting winter conditions, more frequent and larger forest fires, as well as sea level rise, storm surges and wave impacts causing flooding in many cities and towns. Moreover, nature itself and the biodiversity will also be impacted by the rising temperatures and extreme weather causing among other drought and more wildfires, and NBS include strengthening both society and nature’s resilience to climate change.Some examples of relevant nature-based solutions are street trees to mitigate heat island effects, protecting and restoring streams and wetlands to manage stormwater and address flooding. The Paris agreement includes commitments to adaptation planning and action, and NBS are emphasised as important adaptation measures by the international community, including the UN and EU.

The natural conditions and the effects of climate change vary between the Nordic countries, thus also their focus in addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, there are also similarities both in terms of nature, climate change impacts and governance. The following advice relates to addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation through policies, which includes some good examples of how the Nordic countries address this societal challenge.