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Spending adaptation money wisely

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  • Samuel Fankhauser
  • Ian Burton

Abstract

The discussions about adaptation finance have mostly been about process: how money should be raised and how adaptation spending should be governed and monitored. This paper seeks to move the focus of the debate back towards the substance of adaptation by asking what �good adaptation� in developing countries would look like. We argue that the best use of funds in the short term may be for �soft�, or less tangible developmental activities that increase adaptive capacity. Building a minimum level of adaptive capacity everywhere is central to efficient, effective and equitable adaptation and yields immediate benefits irrespective of future climate regimes. We discuss a number of operational challenges in delivering this kind of adaptation, including a preoccupation with additionality � which makes the integration of adaptation and development harder � and a preference for �concrete� and more readily visible adaptation projects. We leave open the question of whether and how the adaptation regime that is emerging from the Cancun Agreements will be able to deliver wise adaptation decisions, but our analysis recognizes that further institutional development is required.

Suggested Citation

  • Samuel Fankhauser & Ian Burton, 2011. "Spending adaptation money wisely," GRI Working Papers 37, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
  • Handle: RePEc:lsg:lsgwps:wp37
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    Cited by:

    1. Kruse, Tobias & Atkinson, Giles, 2022. "Understanding public support for international climate adaptation payments: Evidence from a choice experiment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    2. Millner, Antony & Dietz, Simon, 2015. "Adaptation to climate change and economic growth in developing countries," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(3), pages 380-406, June.
    3. Luis Abadie & Ibon Galarraga & Dirk Rübbelke, 2013. "An analysis of the causes of the mitigation bias in international climate finance," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 18(7), pages 943-955, October.
    4. Oberlack, Christoph & Neumärker, Bernhard, 2011. "Economics, institutions and adaptation to climate change," The Constitutional Economics Network Working Papers 04-2011, University of Freiburg, Department of Economic Policy and Constitutional Economic Theory.
    5. Mikémina, Pilo & Gerber, Nicolas & Wünscher, Tobias, 2018. "Impacts of Adaptation to Climate Change on farmers’ income in the Savana Region of Togo," Discussion Papers 271152, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    6. Yalew, Amsalu W. & Hirte, Georg & Lotze-Campen, Hermann & Tscharaktschiew, Stefan, 2017. "General equilibrium effects of public adaptation in agriculture in LDCs: Evidence from Ethiopia," CEPIE Working Papers 11/17, Technische Universität Dresden, Center of Public and International Economics (CEPIE).
    7. Millner, Antony & Dietz, Simon, 2015. "Adaptation to climate change and economic growth in developing countries," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 57863, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Nguyen, Thanh Cong & Robinson, Jackie & Kaneko, Shinji & Komatsu, Satoru, 2013. "Estimating the value of economic benefits associated with adaptation to climate change in a developing country: A case study of improvements in tropical cyclone warning services," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 117-128.
    9. David O'Connor & James Ford, 2014. "Increasing the Effectiveness of the “Great Green Wall” as an Adaptation to the Effects of Climate Change and Desertification in the Sahel," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(10), pages 1-13, October.
    10. Susannah Fisher & Swenja Surminski, 2012. "The roles of public and private actors in the governance of adaptation: the case of agricultural insurance in India," GRI Working Papers 89, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
    11. Fisher, Susannah & Surminski, Swenja, 2012. "The roles of public and private actors in the governance of adaptation: the case of agricultural insurance in India," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 46400, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Tanya O'Garra & Susana Mourato, 2016. "Are we willing to give what it takes? Willingness to pay for climate change adaptation in developing countries," Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(3), pages 249-264, September.
    13. Martin Stadelmann & Åsa Persson & Izabela Ratajczak-Juszko & Axel Michaelowa, 2014. "Equity and cost-effectiveness of multilateral adaptation finance: are they friends or foes?," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 101-120, May.
    14. Fankhauser, Sam & Soare, Raluca, 2012. "Strategic adaptation to climate change in Europe," EIB Working Papers 2012/01, European Investment Bank (EIB).
    15. Oberlack, Christoph & Eisenack, Klaus, 2012. "Overcoming barriers to urban adaptation through international cooperation? Modes and design properties under the UNFCCC," The Constitutional Economics Network Working Papers 03-2012, University of Freiburg, Department of Economic Policy and Constitutional Economic Theory.
    16. Bowen, Alex & Cochrane, Sarah & Fankhauser, Samuel, 2012. "Climate change, adaptation and economic growth," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 39939, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    17. Bose, Arnab & Ramji, Aditya & Singh, Jarnail & Dholakia, Dhairya, 2012. "A case study for sustainable development action using financial gradients," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(S1), pages 79-86.
    18. Alex Bowen & Sarah Cochrane & Samuel Fankhauser, 2012. "Climate change, adaptation and economic growth," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 113(2), pages 95-106, July.
    19. Zhang, Junze & Yu, Zhongqi & Yu, Tengfei & Si, Jianhua & Feng, Qi & Cao, Shixiong, 2018. "Transforming flash floods into resources in arid China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 746-753.
    20. Li, Shunxi & Sui, Pang-Chieh & Xiao, Jinsheng & Chahine, Richard, 2019. "Policy formulation for highly automated vehicles: Emerging importance, research frontiers and insights," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 573-586.
    21. Vale, Petterson Molina, 2016. "The changing climate of climate change economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 12-19.
    22. Kruse, Tobias & Atkinson, Giles, 2022. "Understanding public support for international climate adaptation payments: evidence from a choice experiment," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 112963, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    23. I. Hofmeijer & J. Ford & L. Berrang-Ford & C. Zavaleta & C. Carcamo & E. Llanos & C. Carhuaz & V. Edge & S. Lwasa & D. Namanya, 2013. "Community vulnerability to the health effects of climate change among indigenous populations in the Peruvian Amazon: a case study from Panaillo and Nuevo Progreso," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 18(7), pages 957-978, October.
    24. Amit Tubi & Joe Williams, 2021. "Beyond binary outcomes in climate adaptation: The illustrative case of desalination," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(2), March.

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