A reading from the ‘Stern Review: The Economics of Climate Change’ by economist Nicholas Stern for the Government of the United Kingdom which analyses adaptation as a response to reducing vulnerability to climate change.

The reading is subdivided into three chapters, as follows:

1. Understanding the economics of adaptation: This section states the key adaptation concepts. It also gives an economic framework for the same. [pp 404 – 415 (as per table of contents) or pp 448 – 460 (as per scrolling)]
2. Adaptation in the developed world: This section looks into the barriers and challenges to adaptation. It focuses on how developed countries can promote adaptation through policy and information dissemination. [pp 416 – 429 (as per table of contents) or pp 461 – 474 (as per scrolling)]
3. The role of adaptation in sustainable development: This section looks at the challenges faced by developing countries in adapting to climate change and the emphasises the need for support from the international community. [pp 430 – 447 (as per table of contents) or pp 475 – 492 (as per scrolling)]

Students will learn how the cost of adaptation differs depending on the availability of infrastructure, financial capability and access to public services. They will also be able to calculate the cost of adaptation depending on if there are prior mitigation policies and different climate scenarios.