Is mitigation a win-win & adaptation only good for the poor?

Uma Lele (July 2010)

Where: Washington, US

uma lele 2010Economist and Water Expert, Uma Lele, disusses how aid and investment has not kept up with growing demands for food and the increasing populations.  She points out the focus is on emergency assistance, but this is a "flip side" of not investing in long-term development. She considers the challenges facing the water sector, looking at supply and demand and moves on to the differing interest of the developed and developing worlds. She emphasises the responsibility developing countries have, partly because of the level of local knowledge required, but suggests they may not have the political commitment, strategic view, capacity or incentives to see it through. Mitigation, she says, gets much more attention than adaptation, as it is  a "win-win" for both worlds whereas adaption is only a benefit for the poor. She finishes on highlighing the complexity and linkages around water and stresses that water needs to be brought to the front of climate change negotiations.