This document discusses principles for selecting climate adaptation strategies, including cost-effectiveness and the precautionary principle. It notes that cost-effectiveness is difficult to apply to adaptation due to long timeframes and uncertainty. The precautionary principle aims to avoid new risks from adaptation measures by shifting the burden of proof. The document concludes with 10 recommended criteria for selecting strategies, such as prioritizing no-regret measures that are sensible under any climate scenario.

1. Online Training Resource: Climate Adaptation
Adaptation Strategies
Tuesday, 5 February 2013

2. Process Stage 2
Developing Adaptation Strategies: Selection
Selecting the Right Strategy
This module outlines the principles for prioritising between different adaptation measures in particular
-Cost-effectiveness
-Precautionary principle
It concludes with a list of recommended criteria for selecting the right strategy
Climate Adaptation
Deborah Davies, Carlo Aall, Eli Heiberg, 2012
Online Training Resource
Tuesday, 5 February 2013

3. Process Stage 2
Developing Adaptation Strategies: Selection
Principles for Prioritising Environmental Policy Means
Example principles that are frequently used
-Best available technology
-Polluter pays principle
-Cost-effectiveness
-Steering-effectiveness
-Precautionary principle
-Sustainable development
But which of these principles can and should be
used within the field of climate change adaptation?
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource
Tuesday, 5 February 2013

4. Process Stage 2
Developing Adaptation Strategies: Selection
Cost Effectiveness
Often used in climate mitigation policy making.
• Difficult to apply within climate change adaptation policymaking, because:
-The benefits of climate change adaptation are multi-dimentional (whereas climate mitigation is
one-dimentional; reduction in green house gas emissions)
-The often very long time span for assessing possible benefits of adaptation measures (up to 50
years) results in low figures when calculating the present value of future benefits from adaptation
-Lack of knowledge on probability for future changes in local climatic conditions makes it difficult
to establish quantitative risk assessments
• Thus we might have to manage with qualitative criteria sets for prioritising climate change
adaptation measures.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource
Tuesday, 5 February 2013

5. Process Stage 2
Developing Adaptation Strategies: Selection
Precautionary Principle
The precautionary principle is well established in international environmental policy.
• Principle 15 of the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development states:
– In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States
according to their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full
scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent
environmental degradation.
• The Commission of the European Communities stated in 2000:
– The dimension of the precautionary principle goes beyond the problems associated with a short- or
medium-term approach to risks. It also concerns the longer run and the well being of future
generations.
– Whether or not to invoke the precautionary principle is a decision exercised where scientific
information is insufficient, inconclusive or uncertain and where there are indications that the possible
effects on the environment or human, animal and plant health may be potentially dangerous and
inconsistent with the chosen level of protection.
• One implication of the precautionary principle is shifting the burden of proof to the new activities of
technologies.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource
Tuesday, 5 February 2013

6. Process Stage 2
Developing Adaptation Strategies: Selection
Adaptation and the Precautionary Principle
As societal changes have been featured into the vulnerability analysis advocated by this training
programme, the precautionary principle is especially worth highlighting.
• The relevance of the precautionary principle in adaptation to climate change is to avoid new risks
possibilities as a consequence of adaptation strategies or measures.
• The precautionary principle is criticised by some as potentially impeding innovation and development
by shifting the burden of proof, such that any activity must prove that it does not cause harm.
– According to this view a risk assessment based on probabilities derived from available but often
imperfect evidence is sufficient.
– A stronger version of the precautionary principle would suggest that risk assessments should be
based to a great extent of the potential to cause harm rather than on knowledge of actual harm.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource
Tuesday, 5 February 2013

7. Process Stage 2
Developing Adaptation Strategies: Selection
Final key points
Selecting the right strategy - Recommended criteria
1) Adapt to the climate of today
2) Establish sufficient institutional capacity for implementing climate adaptation measures
3) Carry out climate vulnerability analyses
4) Inform the public about local vulnerability and adaptation challenges
5) Consider whether a ’wait-and-see’ attitude is sensible before implementing further measures
6) Make strategic prior to operational work
7) Cause-oriented measures should be carried out before effect-oriented measures
8) Give priority to ’no-regret measures’ (measures that are sensible regardless of climate scenarios)
9) Climate adaptation must not lead to considerably higher emissions of greenhouse gases
10) Climate adaptation must not be in conflict with the overall goal of sustainable development
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource
Tuesday, 5 February 2013