Acting on climate change-driven incommensurable loss

Some of the impacts of climate change lead to irreversible outcomes, such as the loss of biodiversity, territory or cultural heritage. For some people, there is no commensurable substitute for what is lost. This article reports expert views on actions that can be undertaken in the face of irreversible incommensurable loss. Such reactive actions vary depending on the issue concerned – biodiversity and ecosystem health; cultural heritage, and indigenous and local knowledge; human life and health; identity and ways of being; or territory. To some degree, reactive actions also vary depending on whether irreversible incommensurable loss is yet to occur (or occur fully), or has already occurred.