Some of the actions we will need to be taking in the future are those of mitigation, adaptation and resilience. Some of these can be done by individuals and congregations, others will require advocacy to ask for local, state or federal help.
DEfinitions
Here’ are two articles and a video that explain more about the difference between mitigation, adaptation and resilience.
Mitigation of climate change means reducing the impact of climate change on our planet by removing or reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Adaptation to climate change means adjusting to the effects of climate change by taking action to prepare for, adapt to, and minimize those effects. Resilience to climate change means preparing for the impacts of climate change and building capacity to bounce back from those impacts.
Mitigation
Mitigation refers to efforts to reduce or prevent emission of greenhouse gases in order to limit the impact of climate change. For example:
- using new technologies and renewable energy
- making older equipment more energy efficient
- changing individual behavior such as using locally sourced materials and changing the way we travel
- protecting forests and oceans which remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and planting more trees
Adaptation
Adaptation to climate change means understanding the likely effects of climate change, such as higher sea levels, more extreme weather events or food insecurity, and then adjusting, preparing and reducing vulnerability to those harmful effects. For example:
- constructing sea walls and other flood defenses
- planting trees in cities to reduce extreme heat
- setting up early warning systems for cyclones
- switching to drought resistant crops and planting native plants
- taking action to protect buildings and infrastructure from slow and rapid onset weather events and fires, including fire-defensible space
- behavior changes such as reducing food waste
Resilience
Resilience to climate change means preparing for the impacts of climate change and building capacity to bounce back from those impacts. For example:
- sowing traditional grass seed mixes on grazing land; these tend to recover from a flood event far better than modern strains which have been bred for productivity
- adding urban green space which could absorb flood water such as meadows, parks, sports fields and not concreting whole yards
- developing Resilience Hubs offering access to shelter, solar power and water and a base for disaster relief efforts.
Resilience Hubs
Some conferences and churches are building Resilience Hubs. Some call them Community Lighthouses.
What is a Resilience Hub? United Methodist Creation Justice Movement describes an emerging vision of a network of churches serving as hubs of resilience and refuge, based on “refugia” which is a biological concept describing places in nature that survive and even thrive amid severe disturbance. Resilience Hubs are “energy efficient, community-serving places that have the resources and connections needed to support community members both in moments of crisis and in the everyday.” These hubs can make us more resilient and responsive in times of disruption, while also offering connection, belonging, support, and love to our neighbors at all times. Their article below also includes a section on Resilience Hub resources.
You can also learn more about the what, why and how of Resilience Hubs from:
- the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, the group that first launched this idea.
- California Interfaith Power & Light who offer support churches in this process
- South San Francisco Hope UMC who opened their resilience center in 2022