Resilience & Behavioral Adaptation to Climate Change by Society

By Janki

Human activities are driving factor for global warming and majority of disruptions(anthropogenic forcing). In this paper we will see some of the factors causing climate change and need of addressing it. From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global and unprecedented in scale. Without drastic actions today, adapting to these impacts in the future will be more difficult and costly. Human actions are driven by its psyche. Human’s behavioral adaptation and actions have become crucial necessity today.

is climate change?

What is climate change?

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Such shifts can be natural, due to changes in the sun’s activity or large volcanic eruptions. But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. Burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions that act like a blanket wrapped around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures. The main greenhouse gases (GHGs) that are causing climate change include carbon dioxide and methane. These come from using gasoline for driving a car or coal for heat in the factory and building. Clearing land and cutting down forests can also release carbon dioxide. Agriculture, oil and gas operations are major sources of methane emissions. Energy, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture and land use are among the main sectors causing GHGs. India is the second largest producer of wheat and rice, the world's major food staples. India is currently the world's second largest producer of several dry fruits, agriculture-based textile raw materials, roots and tuber crops, pulses, farmed fish, eggs, coconut, sugarcane and numerous vegetables.

Why adapting to climate change matters?

In today’s time, resilience and adaptation to climate change by society will help us overcome major challenges and will provide effective solutions of problems. Adaptation to climate change is about adjusting to a warmer world, in order to protect people, mother nature, our prosperity and way of life. Collective efforts are only solution and efforts take place once society as a whole adapt and change behavior to mitigate these challenges. The climate emergency and biodiversity crises around the world is a call to all of us to join forces and act in new and innovative ways. Adaptation to climate change requires understanding, planning and actions in a way that not only reduces the negative impacts of climate change but also creates new opportunities to become safer and more resilient ecosystem. Climate change is one of the biggest threats currently facing humanity. The Earth has already warmed by 1.1°C since the late 19th century. This is already affecting every region of the world, causing more frequent and intense extreme events such as heatwaves or droughts, changing rainfall patterns, melting ice and affecting habitats and extinctions of lots of species. Some consequences of climate, such as sea-level rise, will continue to whirlwind for centuries to millennia. Every bit of warming matters and climate action has never been as urgently needed as today. Limiting global warming requires immediate and deep cuts in the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). However, mitigating climate change will not be enough. In addition, we will have to adapt to the unavoidable impacts. Responding to these challenges will require better knowledge and scientific breakthroughs in various domains ranging from technologies, solutions and services for adaptation in areas such as:

• Awareness & factual data about climate change

• Coping mechanism & techniques like drought-resilient crops management

• Water saving technologies

• Energy efficient equipment and vehicles

• Satellites for environmental observation

• Rapid progress in adaptation science & climate analytics as a basis for state-of-the-art climate information

• Scaling up of advanced digital tools like AI and other smart technologies usage aiding our adaptive capacities to the next level

Roles of Government & Industries

During the global event COP28 last year, our Prime Minister highlighted that Lead IT 2.0 will focus on inclusive & just industry transition, co- development and transfer of low-carbon technology, and financial support to emerging economies for industry transition. In sync with this, India unveiled the Green Credit Initiative at COP28, creating a global platform for innovative environmental programs and instruments. A historic moment further unfolded as G20 nations adopted the Green Development Pact as part of the New Delhi Declaration. The BRSR framework is a mandatory disclosure mechanism by SEBI for top 1000 listed companies or businesses to report their performance on environmental, social and governance(ESG) aspects and demonstrate their commitment to responsible business practices; this BRSR is likely to be made mandatory for the rest companies too in coming time. There are many GOI initiatives already in progress. All manufacturing and service industry giants operating in India have been following sustainability for many past decades. With the current shift, they have widened their scopes and working to bring company towards net zero and many other robust plans to mitigate challenges.

What are the psychosocial impacts of climate change?

Psychosocial and mental health impacts of climate change

• Mental health issues associated with natural and technological disasters 

• Stress and emotional outcomes associated with natural and technological disasters 

• Differentiating between normal and pathological worry regarding climate change 

• Uncertainty and despair 

• Research on climate change-related emotions 

• Numbness or apathy 

• Guilt regarding environmental issues

Social and community impacts of climate change

• Heat and violence 

• Intergroup relations 

• Displacement and relocation 

• Reactions to socioeconomic disparities 

• Social justice implications 

Moderators of climate change impacts 

• Proximity 

• Vulnerabilities and resilience 

• Social norms 

Psychosocial mediators of climate change impacts 

• Relative risk appraisals 

• Mental models 

• Media representations 

• Anxiety

  
  

A psychological and contextual drivers of climate change

• Ethical concerns

• Population

• Consumption  

        - Types of consumption behaviors

        - Individual drivers of consumption

        - Context and consumption

        - Counter-consumerism movements

How do people adapt to and cope with the perceived threat and unfolding impacts of climate change?

• Climate change threat and environmental impacts as stressors 

• Types of stressors 

• Natural and technological disasters 

• Mediating relations between stressors and coping responses 

• Threat appraisals 

• Coping appraisals 

• Attributions 

• Affective responses 

• Motivational processes 

• Types of coping responses 

• Moderators of coping process 

• Interventions

  
  

Which psychological barriers limit climate change action?

General psychological barriers are

• Ignorance 

• Uncertainty 

• Mistrust and reactance 

• Denial 

• Judgmental discounting 

• Place attachment 

• Habit 

• Perceived behavioral control 

• Perceived risks from behavioral change 

• Tokenism and the rebound effect 

• Social comparison, norms, conformity, and perceived equity 

• Conflicting goals and aspirations 

• Belief in solutions outside of human control

“As an individual and as a society, we need to go back to the ancient roots where upmost way of living life is well defined!”

Upnishad says: 

ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत्।

तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम्॥

हिंदी अर्थ: इस वैश्व गति में, इस अत्यन्त गतिशील समष्टि-जगत् में जो भी यह दृश्यमान गतिशील, वैयक्तिक जगत् (दृश्यमान प्रकृति/ पर्यावरण) है-यह सबका सब ईश्वर के आवास के लिए है। तुझे इसका उपभोग त्यागमय स्वरूप में करना चाहिये (अर्थात जितनी आवश्यकता हो उतना ही उपभोग करो)| किसी भी दुसरे की धन-सम्पत्ति पर ललचाई दृष्टि मत डाल।

Meaning: All this is for habitation by the Lord, whatsoever is individual universe of movement in the universal motion. By that renounced thou shouldst enjoy; lust not after any man's possession.

Puraan Says: 

दश कूप समा वापी, दशवापी समोहद्रः।

दशहृद समः पुत्रो, दशपुत्रो समो द्रुमः॥

हिंदी अर्थ: दस कुओं के बराबर एक बावड़ी होती है। दस बावड़ियों के बराबर एक तालाब होता है। दस तालाबों के बराबर एक पुत्र होता है। दस पुत्रों के बराबर एक वृक्ष होता है। - मत्स्य पुराण

Meaning: One stepwell is equal to ten wells, one pond is equal to ten stepwells, one son is equal to ten ponds and one tree is equal to ten sons. -Matsya Puraan

Shanti Paath during every Havan/Homa:

ॐ द्यौ: शान्तिरन्तरिक्षँ शान्ति:

पृथ्वी शान्तिराप: शान्तिरोषधय: शान्ति:।

वनस्पतय: शान्तिर्विश्वे देवा: शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्ति:

सर्वँ शान्ति:, शान्तिरेव शान्ति:, सा मा शान्तिरेधि॥

ॐ शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति:॥

In Vedic literature, we see complete harmony of between mother nature and human. (Mother nature = other living beings & nonliving elements/ everything present in every form on this planet.)

References: Food Carbonfoot print | COP28 | Climate change mental health effect | Global Leaders on Climate Change | GHGs | HUL on Climate Change | APA | Onlymyhealth