Lesson 2: Mitigation & Adaptation Strategies

Lesson 2

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

Discover and evaluate climate change solutions.

Distinguish between “mitigation” and “adaptation” strategies for climate change.

Reflect on the impact of climate change in their community.

Outline their initial ideas for their Climate Innovation Challenge project.

Define Adaptation

Define Mitigation

Why is it crucial to include both adaptation and mitigation in a holistic climate solution?

How might climate change affect your life in the future and how do you want to address this?

What are some valuable lessons we can learn from Indigenous-led climate solutions?

How do you want to address climate change in your community?

This lesson is designed to equip learners with the necessary knowledge and understanding of adaptation and mitigation strategies for addressing climate change, laying the groundwork for their CIC projects. We give examples of African Indigenous Knowledge and practices addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts to reflect how worldview and culture play a role in the choices we make and the solutions we devise.

Watch CAVU’s video “Mitigation & Adaptation Strategies” (2:10)
Venn Diagram Activity
- On a blackboard or large sheet of paper, draw a large Venn diagram. (See the Venn diagram below)
- One circle will eventually be labeled “adaptation” and one as “mitigation.” Do not label them on the blackboard right away.
- Ask the class, “How do we respond to climate change?” Encourage them to recall solutions from the videos they’ve watched.
- Ask students to provide their own ideas. As they provide suggestions, write each in the designated part of the diagram.

Lesson 2 Venn Diagram Activity titled Green Resilience - Adaptation and Mitigation Synergies — Click to enlarge this Venn Diagram.

When you have received a satisfactory number of suggestions, proceed to label the circles. As you label them, provide the definitions of the following terms:
- “Mitigation” is the action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something. In relation to climate change, “mitigation” is reducing the amount of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, either by reducing emissions (i.e., driving less) or pulling the existing greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere. (i.e., planting trees, recycling, and/or storing carbon underground).
- “Adaptation” is changing to meet a new situation or set of circumstances. Animals and plants can adapt in the short or long term by changing their physiology or behavior. Humans have the benefit of being able to predict future circumstances and can adapt even before changes happen. In relation to climate change, “adaptation” refers to adjustments in ecological, social, or economic systems in response to climate change impacts. (i.e. rain catchment, land use changes, and/or community response protocols).
Given these definitions, prompt the students to brainstorm other climate change responses they know about. Have them write these responses on sticky notes, then place them where they ought to be on the Venn diagram. Draw their attention to the overlapping section of the Venn Diagram, and get them thinking about actions that are both mitigation and adaptation.

Some common suggestions include recycling, driving less, and using less or renewable energy, all of which would be placed in the mitigation circle.

Suggestions for adaptation strategies include rain catchment systems, land use changes, infrastructure or community response protocols, which would be placed in the adaptation circle.

Planting trees would fall into the overlapping part of the circle because it both sequesters carbon and has local cooling and habitat benefits.

Introduce the learners to the Jaza Miti Initiative by the President of Kenya, this is the President’s initiative to plant 15 billion trees in Kenya by 2032. It is a joint project by kefri.org, Ministry of ICT and Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry and Office of the President.

To ensure that learners are prepared to create a CIC project, they must have a firm under standing of the differences between climate impact (the negative ways that climate change affects our world), adaptation strategies (how to prepare for negative climate impact) and mitigation strategies (how to reduce the rate of warming).
Learners can use the handout at the end of this lesson to go over these terms. An answer key is provided.

People engage in mitigation and adaptation approaches based on their worldview, history, and cultural practices. The UN, and other world governing bodies, are recognizing the need to address global challenges in context with Indigenous knowledge.
Acknowledging the value of Indigenous knowledge and practices, as well as involving Indigenous communities in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, are crucial for addressing the global climate crisis more effectively and equitably.
In Africa, most of our Indigenous knowledge is with our grandparents and parents. It is important to encourage the learners to interview their parents and grandparents, so as to capture this important knowledge, and understand how to best incorporate Indigenous knowledge with the lessons they are learning in school, from Environmental and Climate Change Champions like the late Professor Wangari Mathai, and on the internet.
Here are a few examples of Indigenous worldviews and how Indigenous communities are addressing climate change in their own traditional and cultural ways:
Discussion Questions:
- What are some valuable lessons we can learn from Indigenous-led climate solutions?
- How do Indigenous communities use both adaptation and mitigation to create climate solutions?
- Do you see lessons in how Indigenous-led approaches might influence how you want to address climate change in your community?