The Economics of Adaptation to Climate Change : Methodology Report

The proposed methodology begins with a
consistent downscaling of projected climatic changes from a
multiplicity of General Circulation to local levels. Subsets
of the suite of downscaled climatic factors are then to be
used to estimate the vector of impacts on key economic
sectors of each country, using sector-specific impact
assessment models. Based on this information, alternative
government adaptation projects will be specified and
optimally chosen subject to a government budget constraint.
Thereafter, direct impacts of climate change will serve as
inputs into a macroeconomic framework to examine the
indirect inter-sectoral impacts of climate change as well as
adaption strategies. Finally, at each step the analysis will
be complemented with perspectives and insights of people
whose livelihoods are being or will be affected by changes
in climate. Impacts of the climate change and the benefits
of specific adaptation measures will be examined in the
context of sub-populations defined by livelihood profiles.
Local-level analysis of past and present autonomous
adaptation measures for a range of groups stratified by sets
of livelihood profiles will be conducted using participatory
rural appraisal based primary fieldwork in addition to
holding participatory workshops and consultations.