Legal aspects on climate change adaptation through good governance

Abstract

I decided upon the topic of climate change adaptation and good governance as the subject of this research project as I feel that adaptation is a very relevant topic in the present climate change discussion, on a global, regional and local level. For too long, the subject of adaptation has not been given the importance that it realistically requires as there are numerous impacts of climate change already being felt. The subject was examined from the perspective of international climate change discussions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the European Union, as well as from the comparative perspective where I examined the adaptation strategies of two individual nations; namely Malta and the United States of America. I found that adaptation is not the neglected topic that I initially thought it to be. Although there is much progress that remains to be achieved, overall there is solid groundwork that has occurred in recent years, within the international, local and regional aspects. This will help the further development of adaptation in the future. There is definite room for improvement, especially when considering that there are few legal obligations in place that would ensure that states are actually adapting, especially when compared to climate change mitigation. However the recent progress that has taken place in this regard will prove to be beneficial in the future when perhaps the current strategies will continue to be built up and improved.