Ebook: Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change: Interim Results from the U.S. Country Studies Program

Martin Parry University College, London, UK The 13 country studies collected in this re­ Adaptations Assessment published by the port represent the first of what is likely to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change become a worldwide, country-by-country (Carter et al., 1994) as an agreed technical estimate of the likely impacts of, and appro­ set of scientific methods for climate impact priate adaptations to, greenhouse-gas-in­ assessment and has written its own guidance duced global climate change. document, Guidance for Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment (U.S. CSP, 1994). Under the U.N. Framework Convention on The u.S. Country Studies Program devel­ Climate Change (UNFCCC), signatories oped the Guidance and other reviews of agreed to two near-term actions and one ma­ methodology into a nonspecialist set of jor subsequent one. The two near-term ac­ workbooks for use at the country level, tions are to make annual estimates of the which, backed up by advice from experi­ emissions and sinks of greenhouse gases, enced scientists from the United States and which are now being reported as part of a other countries, enabled local scientists to country-by-country inventory developed by conduct their own vulnerability and adapta­ the U.N. Environment Programme, the Or­ tion assessments.

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To assist developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet this obligation, the U.S. Country Studies Program is providing technical and financial support for the development of climate change studies in 55 countries. This document presents preliminary results from the vulnerability and adaptation assessment research of 13 of the countries that were ready to share their results. The countries contributing to this document are from the African, Asian-Pacific, Eastern European, and Latin American regions, and their assessments address impacts in the agriculture, grasslands, forest, water resources, and coastal resources sectors. This document includes results from many countries for which there was no prior research on the potential impacts of climate change, or for which the research has not previously been widely available. This work will not only fill gaps in the understanding of the potential impacts of climate change and the effectiveness of adaptation strategies, it will also help develop a consensus on appropriate methodologies and needs for refinement to currently available methodologies.

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To assist developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet this obligation, the U.S. Country Studies Program is providing technical and financial support for the development of climate change studies in 55 countries. This document presents preliminary results from the vulnerability and adaptation assessment research of 13 of the countries that were ready to share their results. The countries contributing to this document are from the African, Asian-Pacific, Eastern European, and Latin American regions, and their assessments address impacts in the agriculture, grasslands, forest, water resources, and coastal resources sectors. This document includes results from many countries for which there was no prior research on the potential impacts of climate change, or for which the research has not previously been widely available. This work will not only fill gaps in the understanding of the potential impacts of climate change and the effectiveness of adaptation strategies, it will also help develop a consensus on appropriate methodologies and needs for refinement to currently available methodologies.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages N1-xxxv
Introduction....Pages 1-2
Methods for Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment....Pages 3-48
Summary of Results by Vulnerability Sector....Pages 49-68
Regional Summary....Pages 69-108
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for the Gambia....Pages 109-128
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Zimbabwe....Pages 129-140
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Bangladesh....Pages 141-159
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Kazakhstan....Pages 161-181
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Mongolia....Pages 183-206
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Sri Lanka....Pages 207-224
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for the Czech Republic....Pages 225-247
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Estonia....Pages 249-275
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Poland....Pages 277-294
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Slovakia....Pages 295-312
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Ukraine....Pages 313-333
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Peru....Pages 335-346
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Venezuela....Pages 347-366
Back Matter....Pages 367-367

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To assist developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet this obligation, the U.S. Country Studies Program is providing technical and financial support for the development of climate change studies in 55 countries. This document presents preliminary results from the vulnerability and adaptation assessment research of 13 of the countries that were ready to share their results. The countries contributing to this document are from the African, Asian-Pacific, Eastern European, and Latin American regions, and their assessments address impacts in the agriculture, grasslands, forest, water resources, and coastal resources sectors. This document includes results from many countries for which there was no prior research on the potential impacts of climate change, or for which the research has not previously been widely available. This work will not only fill gaps in the understanding of the potential impacts of climate change and the effectiveness of adaptation strategies, it will also help develop a consensus on appropriate methodologies and needs for refinement to currently available methodologies.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages N1-xxxv
Introduction....Pages 1-2
Methods for Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment....Pages 3-48
Summary of Results by Vulnerability Sector....Pages 49-68
Regional Summary....Pages 69-108
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for the Gambia....Pages 109-128
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Zimbabwe....Pages 129-140
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Bangladesh....Pages 141-159
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Kazakhstan....Pages 161-181
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Mongolia....Pages 183-206
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Sri Lanka....Pages 207-224
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for the Czech Republic....Pages 225-247
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Estonia....Pages 249-275
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Poland....Pages 277-294
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Slovakia....Pages 295-312
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Ukraine....Pages 313-333
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Peru....Pages 335-346
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Venezuela....Pages 347-366
Back Matter....Pages 367-367
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