Building Resilience to Climate Change: Investing in Adaptation
This paper presents the methodology for climate resilience audits, which provide a basis to identify, propose and discuss technical and investment solutions with the client.
The effects of climate change – already seen through temperature shifts, extreme weather events and rising sea levels – are certain to have wide-ranging impacts for all kinds of businesses.
Some impacts will be widespread: scarcity of fresh water, for example, will affect everything from human health to agriculture and forestry. Other impacts will be more localised: the effects of rising sea levels will be most evident in coastal areas.
Many of the countries in which the EBRD operates are particularly vulnerable to climate change: in part because of their geographical location and characteristics, but also because under-investment has resulted in ageing infrastructure and facilities.
The EBRD supports projects focused on adaptation and resilience to climate change by offering technical expertise and finance. The Bank helps clients to:
- identify climate change impacts that will affect their operations
- develop and implement strategies to facilitate adaptation
- invest in measures and technologies that improve their resilience.
Initial EBRD investments in these areas demonstrate that early-moving clients can reduce costs, maximise profitability and increase competitiveness.
EBRD. 2015. Building resilience to climate change: Investing in Adaptation. London: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. [#4457]
