Quote: Mitigation versus Adaptation

“Mitigation is optional, but adaptation is not.”  Natural Hazards Workshop  Mitigation has not always been a popular topic, even with emergency managers.  The sexy stuff is the disaster response.  The fun stuff is the preparedness side of things like planning, training and disaster exercises.  Therefore, we work on those things that are of interest to us and in reality what is of interest to others. 

 

That leaves both recovery planning and mitigation in the dust.  And, while you don’t have to pay much attention to mitigation because no one is demanding that you do something, the slow creep of global warming is going to “eat your lunch.”  Yes, as noted in my most recent blog post on Fire and Water our future is going to be filled with disasters. 

 

Adaptation is doing those things that we can to adjust to the new realities of life in the 21^st Century.  How quickly we adapt will help us in limiting our exposure to more disasters.  Now some of you are thinking, “What is the difference between adaptation and mitigation?”  In “climate speak” mitigation is doing all that you can to limit one’s carbon foot print.  Adaptation is what we traditionally would call mitigation for emergency managers.  It is not always sexy or fun, but the future of emergency management includes adapation.