Reports: Global Warming Adaptation May Mean Business Opportunity

A new report from Oxfam America highlights several business sectors that can benefit by adapting to the challenges of global warming.

Among areas included in the report are agriculture, water management, natural resources management, and insurance.

According to Heather McGray, an expert in climate change adaptation at the World Resources Institute, businesses have largely restricted their global warming adaptation to mitigation thus far, developing technologies in clean energy production and usage or energy efficiency rather than adaptation. A change in their thinking could bring great financial benefits–provided that adaptation comes soon.

"Until recently, I think everyone thought adaptation was still pretty far in the future," McGray said. "But the climate science is showing us that the climate is changing pretty quickly."