International
The cost of climate change
Share
By 2050, the global temperature is expected to rise 2°C above pre-industrial levels causing, among other consequences, more intense and frequent rainfall and droughts, floods, increases in epidemics and water availability. For the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, adapting to these changes will be costly. However, almost no specific estimates of just how costly exist. To fill this gap, the World Bank launched the Economics of Adaptation to Climate Change (EACC) study in 2008. Last Wednesday, the third day of the climate change talks in Bangkok, the World Bank released initial results from this study, revealing that adaptation costs will indeed be significant.
The initial report found that the cost of adapting to an approximately 2°C warmer world will be between $75 billion and $100 billion a year. This estimate falls in the upper range of existing estimates, which are between $4 billion to $109 billion annually. According to the report, impacts on agriculture and fisheries, health, water availability, flood management and infrastructure will be the most severe. According to the report, sub-Saharan Africa will bear 20-22% of the annual costs of adaptation across sectors. Sub-Saharan Africa also bears by far the highest costs for water supply and flood management and by 2050, will shoulder more than 80 percent of adaptation costs in the health sector.
The report also emphasizes three main points. One, it is necessary to take measures for both mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Adaptation financing, while vital to minimize the impacts of climate change, will not prevent future consequences. Adapting to an even warmer world would cause more costs, including coastal flooding, more malnutrition and disease, and extinction of half of the world’s species. Secondly, development must take on a new form to include adaptation efforts. Development and adaptation goes hand-in-hand, and one cannot be achieved without the other. Lastly, because of the large uncertainties about the future of climate change, flexible policies and more research are needed. These measures and considerations are vital to preventing an increasingly costly world due to climate change.
Such estimates on adaptation costs and research on the future of climate change are especially pertinent now as world delegates look toward the December Copenhagen conference, where leaders will attempt to formulate a global deal on climate change. Check out the full report here.
- Previous Post What We’re Reading 10/8/09
- Next Post Africa’s trade links (or the lack thereof) in pictures
Featured Series
About the Blog
The International ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, with guest contributions from ONE volunteers, members and allies.
The content of each post and each comment represents the views of that author and does not necessarily reflect the views of ONE. ONE does not support or oppose any candidate for elected office, and any post expressing support or opposition for a candidate is not endorsed by ONE.
17/10/2009 at 5:49 pm
….”According to the report, sub-Saharan Africa will bear 20-22% of the annual costs of adaptation across sectors. Sub-Saharan Africa also bears by far the highest costs for water supply and flood management and by 2050, will shoulder more than 80 percent of adaptation costs in the health sector…”
that is a great post! I remember in those days in Africa, we knew exactly when to plant and when to harvest. In these days, things are really changing. You are expecting rainfall and instead you get a “burning sun”. You are expecting sunshine and you get flood instead. Things are really changing.
19/10/2009 at 11:20 am
The challenegeds of climate change are very enomous.In manyt communities around the world and in sudan it has became threat to human security.Climate change affect the human a sitvities ,causes natural diaster(flood,drought,rains and strong windas like tsunami).In sudan change in temperature ha change temperature by two degrees.climate change has cause displacement of people in many places leades to IDD,Increase povertyl in affected people.Emission of high green house gase which lead to global warming,fuel consuption has risen nad there is need to use low cost emmission fuel. to reduce green houses,