Economics of Climate Change, Adaptation and Decision Support in Europe









 

 

    Economics of Climate Change, Adaptation and Decision Support in Europe

Paul Watkiss Associates specialises in research and policy support for government and public sector organisations on the economics of climate change and adaptation policy.  A number of recent projects are summarised below.

Clyde
Re:Built

Resilient Regions: Clyde Re:Built is a project seeking to catalyse a transformational approach to addressing the impacts of climate change in the Glasgow City Region. It is led by Climate Ready Clyde (a regional climate initiative) with support from Sniffer, Creative Carbon Scotland, and Paul Watkiss Associates. The project is funded by the European Union’s climate innovation hub, EIT Climate-KIC. The project has four key aims, which are to:

- Develop a Theory of Change for Adaptation in the City Region,

- Develop Glasgow City Region’s Adaptation Strategy and a transformative adaptation portfolio blueprint,

- Develop an adaptation solutions portfolio; and

- Develop a portfolio of bankable projects and look to scale-up with potential investors.

http://climatereadyclyde.org.uk/clyde-rebuilt-v2/

Climate-KIC - Paul Watkiss Associates - Climate Change Adaptation

COACCH

COACCH: CO-designing the Assessment of Climate CHange costs

COACCH is an innovative research project that gathers leading experts on climate change sciences from 14 European research institutions.  The projects aims to advance knowledge regarding climate change impacts and policy that can be used directly by stakeholder communities. under grant agreement No 776479.

Further Details are available on the COACCH website: https://www.coacch.eu/

As well as leading the co-design process, PWA has led the development of the COACCH policy briefs.

Policy Brief 1: The Economic Cost of Climate Change in Europe: Synthesis Report on State of Knowledge and Key Research Gaps

COACCH Policy Brief 1 -  Paul Watkiss Associates - Climate Change Adaptation 

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Policy Brief 2: The Economic Cost of Climate Change in Europe: Synthesis Report on COACCH Interim Results

COACCH - Policy Brief 2 -  Paul Watkiss Associates - Climate Change Adaptation

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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

COACCH -  Paul Watkiss Associates - Climate Change Adaptation

Committee on Climate Change

Committee on Climate Change: Impacts of climate change on meeting Government outcomes in England

This project assessed how climate change might affect the ability of Government to achieve existing policy outcomes. The research focussed on ten case studies related to fisheries, green infrastructure, heat impacts on health, new infrastructure investment, peatlands, plant pathogens, soil health, food supply chains, water stress and wine production. PWA undertook a high-level assessment of the impacts (and costs) of not achieving the goals and outcomes due to climate change, then the potential costs and benefits of additional adaptation. In the case of wine production and green infrastructure, the assessment considered what was needed to realise the potential benefits of climate change for meeting associated goals.

More details and the full report are available at:

www.theccc.org.uk/publication/impacts-of-climate-change-on-meeting-government-outcomes-in-england-paul-watkiss-associates/

 
UK Climate Change

UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 3

PWA is leading the methodological development for the UK’s third Climate Change Risk Assessment.

www.theccc.org.uk/publications/third-uk-climate-change-risk-assessment/

 
OECD 

OECD: Climate Change Risks and Adaptation: Linking Policy and Economics

This study undertook a detailed review on the policy and economics of adaptation. It included a detailed review of the costs and benefits of adaptation led by PWA (Chapter 4) and a review of the lessons on the mainstreaming and policy implementation of adaptation (Chapter 6). The work was published in an OECD book.

OECD -  Paul Watkiss Associates - Climate Change Adaptation

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ECONADAPT

ECONADAPT is an EC FP7 research project whose purpose is to support adaptation planning through building the knowledge base on the economics of adaptation to climate change and converting this into practical information for decision makers.   http://econadapt.eu/

Within the project PWA is leading the design of the policy framework and dissemination activities and also contributing to the international development assistance case study.  Project Flyer - Open in new window

ECONADAPT Policy Report on Costs and Benefits of Adaptation  Open in new window

Summary of the international case study in Rwanda  Open in new window

 

Climate Change & Cost

Climate change & the cost of living - this research, for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, considers how climate change could affect the costs of living at the household level in the UK and the implications for low income households.

 

Download the project summary, full report and annexes (opens in new window)

 

IMPACT2C  

 

The IMPACT2C project, an FP7 funded project RTD, aims to help provide information and evidence on the impacts of 2°C global warming for Europe and other key vulnerable global regions.

http://www.hzg.de/mw/impact2c/

PWA is producing a series of policy briefs on the project, as well as working on impact and adaptation tasks.

 

Download the air pollution and health impacts assessment, Deliverable 8  (opens in new window)

Policy Brief 1: 

Policy Update on 2C Warming: Analysis of early IMPACT2C climate modelling results.

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Policy Brief 2:

 IMPACT2C modelling results: climate change and sea-level rise from a 2°C climate.

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Policy Brief 3:

What does 2°C of warming mean for global vulnerability hot spots?

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European Environment Agency

 

PWA contributed as an author on the recent EEA reports on climate change impacts and adaptation (Section 4.3.6: Costs and benefits of adaptation).
Climate change, impacts and vulnerability in Europe (2012)  Open in new window Adaptation in Europe - Addressing risks and opportunities from climate change in the context of socio-economic developments (2013)  Open in new window

MEDIATION

 

The MEDIATION Adaptation Platform (http://www.mediation-project.eu) provides scientific and technical information about climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation options. Paul Watkiss led the development of the policy briefing notes on adaptation decision making.

Open Mediation Policy Briefing notes in new window

Method Overview.

Watkiss, P. and Hunt, A. (2013). Method Overview: Decision Support Methods for Adaptation, Briefing Note 1. Summary of Methods and Case Study Examples from the MEDIATION Project. Funded by the EC’s 7FWP

 

Cost-effectiveness analysis

Watkiss, P. and Hunt, A. (2012). Cost-effectiveness analysis: Decision Support Methods for Adaptation, MEDIATION Project, Briefing Note 2. Funded by the EC’s 7FWP

Robust Decision Making

Watkiss, P. and Dynzynski, J (2013). Robust Decision Making: Decision Support Methods for Adaptation, MEDIATION Project, Briefing Note 3. Funded by the EC’s 7FWP

Real Options Analysis

Watkiss, P. and Hunt, A, Blyth, W (2013). Real Options Analysis: Decision Support Methods for Adaptation, MEDIATION Project, Briefing Note 4.

 

Portfolio Analysis

Hunt, A, and Watkiss, P (2013). Portfolio Analysis: Decision Support Methods for Adaptation, MEDIATION Project, Briefing Note 5. Funded by the EC’s 7FWP

Multi-Criteria Analysis

Van Ierland , E.C. , de Bruin, K. and Watkiss, P. (2013). Multi-Criteria Analysis: Decision Support Methods for Adaptation, MEDIATION Project, Briefing Note 6. Funded by the EC’s 7FWP

Analytic Hierarchy Process

Bharwani, S., Varela-Ortega, C., Blanco, I., Esteve, P., Juarez, E., Trombi, G., Moriondo, M., Bindi, M., Devisscher, T., Taylor, R. and Watkiss, P. (2013). Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Decision Support Methods for Adaptation, MEDIATION Project, Briefing Note 7. Funded by the EC’s 7FWP

Social Network Analysis

Bharwani, S., Downing, T.E., Varela-Ortega, C., Blanco, I., Esteve, P., Carmona, G., Taylor R., Devisscher, T., Coll Besa, M. Tainio, A., Ballard, D. and Watkiss, P. (2013). Social Network Analysis: Decision Support Methods for Adaptation, MEDIATION Project, Briefing Note 8. Funded by the EC’s 7FWP

Adaptation Turning Points

Werners et al. (2013). Adaptation Turning Points: Decision Support Methods for Adaptation, MEDIATION Project, Briefing Note 9.

 

Open Mediation Policy Briefing notes in new window

ClimateCost

ClimateCost (the Full Costs of Climate Change) was a major research project on the economics of climate change, funded from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme. The objective of the project is to advance knowledge in three areas:  long-term targets and mitigation policies, costs of inaction (the economic effects of climate change), the costs and benefits of adaptation. Paul Watkiss was the Research Director of the project and PWA led the technical management of the project.

The project produced a series of policy briefs.  Details of the project and publications are available at - www.climatecost.cc

 

 

 

1 - European and Global Climate Change Projections

Christensen, O. B, Goodess, C. M. Harris, I, and Watkiss, P. (2011).  European and Global Climate Change Projections: Discussion of Climate Change Model Outputs, Scenarios and Uncertainty in the EC RTD ClimateCost Project.  In Watkiss, P (Editor), 2011.  The ClimateCost Project. Final Report. Volume 1: Europe. Published by the Stockholm Environment Institute, Sweden, 2011. ISBN 978-91-86125-35-6.  Download

 

2 – Sea Level Rise

Brown S, Nicholls RJ, Vafeidis A, Hinkel J, and Watkiss P (2011). The Impacts and Economic Costs of Sea-Level Rise and the Costs and Benefits of Adaptation. Summary of Results from the EC RTD ClimateCost Project.  In Watkiss, P (Editor), 2011.  The ClimateCost Project. Final Report. Published by the Stockholm Environment Institute, Sweden, 2011. ISBN 978-91-86125-35-6.   Download

 

3 – River Floods

Feyen, L. and Watkiss, P. (2011). Technical Policy Briefing Note 3. The Impacts and Economic Costs of River Floods in Europe, and the Costs and Benefits of Adaptation. Results from the EC RTD ClimateCost Project. In Watkiss, P (Editor), 2011. The ClimateCost Project. Final Report. Published by the Stockholm Environment Institute, Sweden, 2011. ISBN978-91-86125-35-6.  Download

4 – Energy

Mima S, Criqui P, and Watkiss P (2011). The Impacts and Economic Costs of Climate Change on Energy in Europe. Summary of Results from the EC RTD ClimateCost Project.  In Watkiss, P (Editor), 2011.  The ClimateCost Project. Final Report. Volume 1: Europe. Published by the Stockholm Environment Institute, Sweden, 2011. ISBN 978-91-86125-35-6.  Download

5 – Health

Kovats, S, Lloyd, S, Hunt, A and Watkiss, P. (2011). Technical Policy Briefing Note 5: The Impacts and Economic Costs on Health in Europe and the Costs and Benefits of Adaptation, Results of the EC RTD ClimateCost Project. In Watkiss, P (Editor), 2011. The ClimateCost Project. Final Report. Volume 1: Europe. Published by the Stockholm Environment Institute, Sweden, 2011. ISBN 978-91-86125-35-6.   Download

 

6 – Ancillary Air Quality Benefits

Holland, M., Amann, M., Heyes, C., Rafaj, P., Schöpp, W.  Hunt, A., and Watkiss, P. (2011). The Reduction in Air Quality Impacts and Associated Economic Benefits of Mitigation Policy. Summary of Results from the EC RTD ClimateCost Project.  In Watkiss, P (Editor), 2011.  The ClimateCost Project. Final Report. Volume 1: Europe. Published by the Stockholm Environment Institute, Sweden, 2011. ISBN 978-91-86125-35-6.   Download

7 - Major Events and Tipping Elements

Downing, TE and Butterfield, RE (2012). Extreme Outcomes: Prospects for major tipping and socially contingent events and associated economic and social costs. Summary of cross-sectoral results from the ClimateCost project funded by the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme. Technical Policy Briefing Note 7. Oxford: Stockholm Environment Institute.   Download

Scoping Study  

Scoping Study:  Reviewing the Coverage of Economic Impacts in the CCRA - Committee on Climate Change Adaptation Sub-Committee

This study reviewed the economic coverage of the CCRA. This report developed a matrix to assess the economic coverage of climate change studies and applied to the UK CCRA. The study found that most of the quantified analysis was focused on direct UK domestic impacts.  It also reviewed the potential costs in other areas, and made recommendations for future CCRAs.

Download

 

CCRA

Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) / Adaptation Economic Assessment (AEA) - UK Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

The Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) drew together the evidence and analysis on the risks posed by climate change for the UK. It was also accompanied by an additional Adaptation Economic Assessment (AEA), which outlined the potential adaptation options to respond to these risks.

PWA jointly led the scoping study on the CCRA/AEA, the valuation of CCRA risks and method development for the AEA.

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Method for the Adaptation Economic Assessment.  Paul Watkiss and Alistair Hunt.  Deliverable 2.2.1:  CCRA Method: Method for Adaptation Economic Assessment. May 2011. 

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UNFCCC

UNFCCC Costs and Benefits of Adaptation: A review of existing literature. Technical paper - UNFCCC 

This technical paper – jointly authored by Anil Markandya and Paul Wakiss - reviewed the methodological issues and current state of evidence on the costs and benefits of adaptation. 

The report is available at - unfccc.int/resource/docs/2009/tp/02.pdf

 

EEA

EEA Costs of Inaction and Costs of Adaptation

2006-7.  Costs of Inaction and Costs of Adaptation.  European Environment Agency.

This study investigated the methodological issues with the costs of climate change and the costs of adaptation, and reporting on the state of impacts and economic costs from climate change in Europe. 

The report is available at   http://reports.eea.europa.eu/technical_report_2007_13/en