Abstract:

The adaptation of cryosphere change is a new research direction in the field of cryosphere science, and a typical representative of the interdisciplinary cross-integration research of natural and social sciences nowadays. The study on the adaptation of cryosphere changes in China, which started in 2007, has experienced a ten-year development. At present, the emphasis of the study has changed from the evaluation of vulnerability into the quantification of impacts of the cryosphere change with the improvement of knowledge level. The content of the study, including impacts, risks, vulnerability and adaptation of cryosphere change, is more perfect and systematic. The study method breaks through the shortcomings of the traditional index system weighting method and realizes the quantification preliminarily. The reasonable combination of research results of impacts, risks, vulnerability and adaptation in cryosphere change makes the adaptation measures of the cryosphere change more targeted. In the future, the existing theoretical system of the cryosphere changes adaptation in China should be expanded, improved and deepened, the coupling model of the cryosphere and the society economy should be constructed in order to scientifically quantify the effects of the change of the whole cryosphere elements, and a new research model involving different stakeholders and scientists should be established to cope with and adapt to the cryosphere changes and their effects.

Key words: Cryosphere change, Impact, Risk, Vulnerability, Adaptation