Economics of climate change adaptation in least developed countries
This project aims to build capacity in the least developed countries (LDCs) in the economic analysis of climate change to inform policymaking.
This project aims to build capacity in the least developed countries (LDCs) in the economic analysis of climate change to inform policymaking. Robust analyses of the impacts of climate change impacts and the costs and benefits of climate change adaptation at local and national levels will be undertaken to feed into local and national policy-making and negotiating positions.
The IPCC has identified the least developed countries (LDCs) as those that will be most affected by climate change because of their current low adaptive capacity. LDC dependence on climate-sensitive sectors, such as agriculture, makes these economies and especially the livelihoods of the poor, vulnerable to climate change impacts.
Adaptation will be a key response to unavoidable climate change in LDCs, but will only be successfully achieved at a significant cost.. Hence, the costs and benefits of adaptation need to be built into the policy and planning processes of LDCs, and supported in local community practices. LDC policy-makers and negotiators need home-grown data to make substantive arguments at global fora and to guide appropriate domestic policy-making. But there is a lack of economic data specific to LDCs on climate change, and adaptation in particular.
To carry out the first phase of a major programme of collaborative economic research and capacity-building on the costs of climate change impacts and costs and benefits of adaptation in twelve Least Developed Countries.
To address these gaps in data on costs and benefits, the Climate Change Group and the Environmental Economics Programme are starting a major programme of work with partners in the Least Developed Countries. This aims to build capacity in conducting economic analysis of climate change and feeding this into local and national policy-making and negotiating positions.
Building on the well-established network of CLACC partners we will form a network of economists in LDCs and support them in undertaking robust economic analyses of climate change impacts and climate change adaptation at local and national levels. This work will incorporate analysis of non-market impacts of climate change and adaptation. In the first phase we are forming a network, supporting local economists in review of available data and selection of appropriate methodologies and developing a detailed proposal for funding in the second phase.
Climate change adaptation in developing countries: issues and perspectives for economic analysis by Muyeye Chambwera and Jesper Stage