The Costs of Climate Adaptation, Explained in 4 Infographics

As global temperatures climb, so do the costs of adapting to a warmer world. Severe weather events are becoming more frequent, creating major budget pressures for national governments, especially those in the developing world. Sea level is projected to rise by 52-98 centimeters by the year 2100, threatening billions of people in coastal communities. And increasing temperatures and shifting weather patterns threaten major economic sectors, such as agriculture, tourism and energy supply.

So how much money will the world need to protect itself from these impacts? And how much money are we currently spending to solve the problem? Here’s everything you need to know about the current state of adaptation finance:

1) The costs are increasing

2) Adaptation finance from the public sector is growing

3) There’s still a huge gap between how much adaptation finance we have and how much we need

4) Most climate finance goes to mitigation

 

Source: World Resources Institute

Date: May 2015

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