| Assessing the Costs of Adaptation to Climate Change |
| 31 August 2009 |
|
New Publication by IIED
Nowadays the idea that adaptation to climate change will cost a lot to the world population is widely shared. And a new study reveals that these costs could be far higher than expected. According to a study jointly conducted by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and by the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College London, the costs are likely to be up to three times higher than those calculated in the UNFCCC report. In addition, the costs would be even more if the full range of climate impacts on human activities were taken into consideration. The new estimate considers a possible expenditure in the range of $80-510 billion annually, rather than the $40-170 billion projection from the UNFCC. The report urges for a more exact estimation of the costs, given that the figures are used for discussion regarding the levels of investment needed for adaptation to climate change. “Finance is the key that will unlock the negotiations in Copenhagen but if governments are working with the wrong numbers, we could end up with a false deal that fails to cover the costs of adaptation to climate change,“ says Camilla Toulmin, director of the International Institute for Environment and Development, which co-published the report. To download the report in pdf format please visit" |
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