What does "climate adaptation" involve?

Climate adaptation specifically refers to the implementation of strategies and measures aimed at preparing for and adjusting to the impacts of climate change. This approach recognizes that while mitigation efforts, like reducing carbon emissions, are crucial for combating the root causes of climate change, adaptation is necessary to manage the consequences that are already being experienced or are anticipated in the future.

Adaptation strategies may include improving infrastructure to withstand extreme weather events, implementing water conservation techniques in response to changing precipitation patterns, developing agricultural practices that are resilient to shifts in climate, and planning urban development in ways that reduce vulnerability to climate-related hazards. These efforts are critical in enhancing community resilience and ensuring that both ecosystems and human systems can adjust effectively to the changing climate.

In contrast, the other choices represent different aspects of climate policy. Reducing carbon emissions is focused on mitigation, while geoengineering refers to large-scale interventions aimed at altering environmental processes, which falls outside the realm of adaptation to specific impacts. Restricting human activities contributing to climate change again pertains to mitigation strategies rather than adaptive measures. Thus, the emphasis on preparedness and adjustment makes the correct answer align with the definition of climate adaptation.