Trying to mitigate climate change is not nearly enough

In this commentary, Prof Euston Quah, Albert Winsemius chair professor of economics and director of the Economic Growth Centre at NTU and Dr Eugene Or, a lecturer at SUSS, argue that climate policy has become disproportionately focused on mitigation, often treating adaptation as a secondary concern. That hierarchy no longer reflects reality. Adaptation deserves to stand alongside mitigation, not as an afterthought, but as one of the central pillars of climate policy. Mitigation and adaptation are not mutually exclusive. A project can tackle both simultaneously. Sustainable agriculture, for example, reduces emissions while helping farmers respond to a changing climate. For too long, climate policy has centred almost exclusively on preventing future warming. That objective remains essential. The reality, however, is that the climate has already changed, and communities are already paying the price. The challenge before us is no longer simply preventing tomorrow’s crisis. It is protecting today’s communities while preparing for tomorrow’s uncertainties.

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