Who decides how we adapt to climate change? | Leah Aronowsky

Climate politics has long been focused on reducing carbon emissions to avoid catastrophic climate change, but as the impacts of climate change are already being felt, this approach no longer suffices. The material effects of climate change are reshaping economic and social life, from insurance markets to housing policies, water use, and labor markets.

The dominant framework for addressing climate change has been environmental, with a focus on infrastructure such as seawalls and flood control systems. However, this approach neglects the question of how societies will manage the political impacts of climate change, including issues like property rights, disaster aid, and worker protections.

In the US, a spike in non-renewal rates across the homeowners' insurance industry has triggered concerns about an impending national insurance crisis. Workers are also facing heat-related health risks, with UPS workers recently winning a contract to install air conditioning in delivery trucks. These crises highlight the need for a more comprehensive approach to climate politics that addresses not just mitigation but also adaptation and the social and economic impacts of climate change.

Climate politics has moved beyond technocratic frameworks on mitigation, with debates around market mechanisms, industrial policy, and values. However, even when it comes to adaptation, climate politics remains narrow, focusing primarily on emissions reductions and technical solutions rather than the broader social and political context.

A more comprehensive approach would require transforming social institutions to manage the impacts of climate change, including the provision of public disaster insurance, housing resilience agencies, and worker protections. The question is not whether we will adapt to climate change but how – and whose vision will prevail.

This shift requires a fundamental rethinking of the way we approach climate politics, moving beyond an apocalyptic framing that focuses solely on mitigation. Instead, we need to consider the political impacts of climate change as a continuous process, one that intersects with ongoing struggles over social justice, economic inequality, and the distribution of resources.

I'm so glad they're finally talking about this . Climate politics needs a major reboot, if you ask me. We've been so focused on just cutting emissions that we haven't even thought about how people's lives are gonna change as a result. Like, what happens when sea levels rise and homes get flooded? Who's gonna help those people out? We need to think about more than just stopping the problem, we need to think about solving it too . And I'm not talking just about infrastructure, I'm talking about changing our entire social safety net system. We can't keep pretending like climate change is someone else's problem, we all gotta step up

I feel like we're running out of time , you know? The way we're approaching climate politics is still so focused on just cutting emissions, but what about all the other stuff that's happening? Like, have you seen the insurance rates in the US lately? It's like they're trying to prepare us for a storm, not prevent it. We need to start thinking about adaptation and how we're gonna deal with the consequences of climate change, rather than just focusing on stopping it. It's all about transformation, man – transforming our institutions, our policies, our whole way of life. We can't just keep reacting to climate change like it's a surprise event .

I'm not sure about all this hype around climate politics. I mean, we've been talking about reducing carbon emissions for years now, but it seems like we're still just scratching the surface. It's like, yeah, let's build some seawalls and flood control systems, but what about the people affected by these disasters? Do we really just leave them to fend for themselves? I think we need a more nuanced approach that actually addresses the social and economic impacts of climate change. Like, who gets to decide how we adapt to this stuff? It's not just about building better infrastructure, it's about how we organize ourselves as a society. We can't just keep treating this like an environmental issue, we need to start thinking about the human cost.

The thing is, politicians have been stuck in this "environmental" mindset for too long . It's all about building seawalls and whatnot, but what about the actual people being affected by climate change? We need to start talking about how we can redistribute those resources to help communities that are already struggling .

I mean, think about it - when workers at UPS get air conditioning in their trucks, it's not just a nice-to-have, it's a basic human right . And yet, we're still debating whether climate change is real or not? It's time for us to shift our focus from mitigation to adaptation, and that means thinking about how we can create a more equitable society .

The question isn't just "will we adapt?" - it's "who gets to decide what the new normal looks like" . We need to be having this conversation now, not later. The future of our planet is at stake, and it's time for us to come together as a society to find solutions that work for everyone .

climate change is soooo not just about saving the planet anymore it's also about who's gonna foot the bill for your fancy new seawall or whether you'll get paid enough to stay cool during those scorching heatwaves newsflash: we can't all just 'adapt' and be okay with that gotta think about the people left behind, fam

I'm low-key freaking out about this climate crisis ! It's not just about saving the planet, it's about people's lives, homes, and livelihoods too . We need to stop thinking like tech bros who only care about emissions reductions and start considering the bigger picture . What's the point of having a plan if we're not gonna address the social and economic impacts? Like, what happens when people can't afford their homes or get sick from working in heatwave conditions? We need to rethink our approach to climate politics and make sure it's about people, not just the planet .

I think its time for us to move away from just talking about reducing carbon emissions, because let's be real, it already feels like we're feeling the effects . I mean, have you seen those homeowners insurance rates in the US? its crazy! And on top of that, workers are struggling with heat-related health issues. We need to start thinking about how we can support people affected by climate change, rather than just focusing on reducing emissions. A more holistic approach that includes things like public disaster insurance and worker protections would be a good starting point . Maybe its time for us to shift our focus from "mitigation" to "adaptation" and actually think about how we're going to make this transition as fair and equitable as possible .

Climate politics has been all about emissions reductions for so long now, but let's be real... The earth is already feeling the heat and we need to shift our focus to adapting to this new reality rather than just trying to slow down the damage . We can't ignore the economic and social impacts of climate change - it's like a ripple effect that's affecting everything from insurance markets to housing policies . It's time for us to get creative and rethink our approach to climate politics , not just about throwing money at infrastructure projects or relying on technical solutions . We need to think about how we can transform our social institutions to handle the new normal , like public disaster insurance and worker protections . It's all about who gets to shape this future - let's make sure it's a just one for everyone .

I don’t usually comment but it seems like the way they’re approaching climate change is still kinda stuck in the past . Like, we're already seeing how climate change is affecting people's daily lives – insurance rates are through the roof, workers are getting sick from heat exhaustion... it's time to think about how societies can adapt to this new reality instead of just trying to stop the damage from happening in the first place .

I don't know if I'm missing something but it feels like we're still stuck on the idea that climate change is some kind of "emergency" that we need to rush to fix, rather than a normal part of our lives that requires a fundamental shift in how we live and work . We need to start thinking about what kinds of policies and institutions would actually help people cope with climate change instead of just throwing money at the problem .

omg I'm literally so done with how ppl are talking about climate change like it's this super futuristic thing... it's happening NOW ! my sister is actually struggling to find affordable housing in our city 'cause the heatwaves are making her asthma worse and have u seen the prices of flood insurance lately?!?! it's crazy we need a more holistic approach that includes ppl who r already struggling not just throwing money at tech fixes like seawalls... that's all well & good but what about affordable AC in delivery trucks for workers like @UPS my coworker just got heat stroke on the job and had to be rushed to the hospital we need to prioritize people over profits

I mean, come on... climate politics has been stuck in neutral for years. We're still talking about reducing carbon emissions like it's gonna make a difference when the storms are already at our doors . We need to stop worrying about what we can't do (build those seawalls) and start thinking about how we're gonna survive when everything else falls apart .

I'm not saying just focus on adaptation, but let's be real, mitigation is just a nice way of saying "we're not ready for this" . We need to think about the economic and social impacts of climate change, like how do we make sure workers don't get heatstroke on the job or that people can afford insurance when their homes are literally underwater .

We need a new framework, one that includes things like public disaster insurance, housing resilience agencies, and worker protections. It's not just about the environment anymore; it's about how we're gonna keep our societies from imploding . And let's be real, who gets to decide whose vision prevails?