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“Mitigation, Adaptation, Suffering”: In Search of the Right Mix in the Face of Climate Change

Author

Listed:
  • Henry Tulkens

    (CORE, Université catholique de Louvain)

  • Vincent van Steenberghe

    (Belgian Federal Ministry for the Environment)

Abstract

The usually assumed two categories of costs involved in climate change policy analysis, namely abatement and damage costs, hide the presence of a third category, namely adaptation costs. This dodges the determination of an appropriate level for them. Including adaptation costs explicitly in the total environmental cost function allows one to characterize the optimal (cost minimizing) balance between the three categories, in statics as well as in dynamics. Implications are derived for cost benefit analysis of adaptation expenditures.

Suggested Citation

  • Henry Tulkens & Vincent van Steenberghe, 2009. "“Mitigation, Adaptation, Suffering”: In Search of the Right Mix in the Face of Climate Change," Working Papers 2009.79, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    • Handle: RePEc:fem:femwpa:2009.79
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stern,Nicholas, 2007. "The Economics of Climate Change," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521700801, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Benchekroun, H. & Marrouch, W. & Ray Chaudhuri, A., 2011. "Adaptation Effectiveness and Free-Riding Incentives in International Environmental Agreements," Discussion Paper 2011-120, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    2. Johan Eyckmans & Sam Fankhauser & Snorre Kverndokk, 2016. "Development Aid and Climate Finance," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 63(2), pages 429-450, February.
    3. Henry Tulkens, 2016. "COP 21 and Economic Theory: Taking Stock," Revue d'économie politique, Dalloz, vol. 126(4), pages 471-486.
    4. repec:old:wpaper:332 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Bréchet, Thierry & Hritonenko, Natali & Yatsenko, Yuri, 2016. "Domestic environmental policy and international cooperation for global commons," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 183-205.
    6. repec:zbw:hohpro:344 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Udo Ebert & Heinz Welsch, 2011. "Optimal response functions in global pollution problems can be upward-sloping: accounting for adaptation," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 13(2), pages 129-138, June.
    8. repec:old:wpaper:344 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Klaus Eisenack & Leonhard Kähler, 2012. "Unilateral emission reductions can lead to Pareto improvements when adaptation to damages is possible," Working Papers V-344-12, University of Oldenburg, Department of Economics, revised Jan 2012.
    10. Tulkens, Henry, 2016. "COP 21 and Economic Theory: Taking Stock," ET: Economic Theory 236237, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    11. Martin Farnham & Peter Kennedy, 2015. "Adapting to Climate Change: Equilibrium Welfare Implications for Large and Small Economies," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 61(3), pages 345-363, July.
    12. Udo Ebert & Heinz Welsch, 2012. "Adaptation and Mitigation in Global Pollution Problems: Economic Impacts of Productivity, Sensitivity, and Adaptive Capacity," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 52(1), pages 49-64, May.
    13. Heuson, Clemens & Gawel, Erik & Gebhardt, Oliver & Hansjürgens, Bernd & Lehmann, Paul & Meyer, Volker & Schwarze, Reimund, 2012. "Fundamental questions on the economics of climate adaptation: Outlines of a new research programme," UFZ Reports 05/2012, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ).
    14. Johan Eyckmans & Sam Fankhauser & Snorre Kverndokk, 2013. "Equity, Development Aid and Climate Finance," GRI Working Papers 123, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
    15. Hassan Benchekroun & Ngo Van Long, 2012. "Collaborative Environmental Management: A Review Of The Literature," International Game Theory Review (IGTR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 14(04), pages 1-22.
    16. Oliver Schenker & Gunter Stephan, 2012. "International Trade and the Adaptation to Climate Change and Variability," Diskussionsschriften dp1201, Universitaet Bern, Departement Volkswirtschaft.
    17. repec:zbw:hohpro:332 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Heuson, Clemens & Gawel, Erik & Gebhardt, Oliver & Hansjürgens, Bernd & Lehmann, Paul & Meyer, Volker & Schwarze, Reimund, 2012. "Ökonomische Grundfragen der Klimaanpassung: Umrisse eines neuen Forschungsprogramms," UFZ Reports 02/2012, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ).
    19. Michèle Breton & Lucia Sbragia, 2017. "Adaptation to Climate Change: Commitment and Timing Issues," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 68(4), pages 975-995, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Climate Change; Mitigation; Adaptation; Suffering;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics
    • H0 - Public Economics - - General

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