Integrating climate mitigation and adaptation: a new framework for achieving ‘climate resilient net zero’ in preparing for heat risk

The integration of climate change mitigation and adaptation policy – or ‘climate policy integration’ (CPI) – is key to mainstreaming and harmonising both of these crucial strands of action in policy responses to climate change worldwide. However, little is known about how CPI can be applied in practice beyond single policy areas. This paper addresses this gap by considering how CPI can be better implemented in the context of responding to extreme heat, a climate change impact and risk that is growing in international importance. Using the heatwaves that occurred in the UK during the summer of 2022 as a case study, the paper explores the extent to which key stakeholders consider the integration of adaptation and mitigation to be important; perceptions of the feasibility of such integration; and the main enablers and challenges associated with integrating adaptation and mitigation. They find appetite for integrating mitigation and adaptation but a lack of integration happening in practice.