Michael B. Gerrard and Katrina Fischer Kuh, eds., The Law of Adaptation to Climate Change: U.S. and International Aspects, ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, 2012.
The initial response to climate change has been to focus on mitigation, such as controlling the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs). “Unfortunately,” notes editor, Michael Gerrard, “due to global and cumulative effects of GHG emissions, mitigation measures will not yield tangible climate benefits for many years, and those benefits will not be especially local, though mitigation often yields collateral benefits, such as reducing fossil fuel use and conventional air pollution.” In short, while “reducing humanity’s impact on the climate” (mitigation) is essential, notes Gerrard, “so is adaptation.”
