Climate change has the potential to impact directly on the World Bank's poverty reduction goals as much of the Bank's work is in climate sensitive sectors, such as agriculture and natural resources, water, energy and health. Adverse impacts of climate change will hit poor countries the hardest, and could thwart development projects and programs in a number of climate-sensitive sectors from attaining their intended objectives. Thus the World Bank has adopted a climate risk management approach to development, which calls for development that is resilient to both present-day variability and projected climate change. The Bank's work on adaptation spans project and analytical work, development of tools for climate data dissemination and mapping as well as screening for climate risk to projects, and pilot insurance programs for protection against weather climate. The Bank is increasing collaborative efforts on adaptation with other multilateral development banks (MDBs) and is working with the IFC on exploring ways to involve the private sector.
Climate change, being a cross-cutting issue, is part of work going on across various sector units and regions of the Bank. The Environment Department, however, coordinates these efforts.
The Environment Department's Work on Adaptation The Environment Department at the World Bank coordinates Bankwide efforts on adaptation to climate change and is also involved in the following: A climate change portal portal that provides quick and readily accessible climate and climate-related data to development practitioners. It also includes a mapping visualization tool (webGIS) that displays key climate variables.
A screening tool, 'ADAPT' (Assessment & Design for Adaptation to Climate Change: A Prototype Tool). This computer-based tool identifies, at the planning and design stage, potential climate risk posed to development projects. At present it screens agriculture and NRM sectors in South Asia and Sub Saharan Africa, but is being extended to include coastal infrastructure and rural transport, as well as other regions.
A series of guidance booklets on Mainstreaming Climate Risk Management and Adaptation to Climate Change in Development Projects. These notes have a special focus on agricultural, NRM and rural development projects.
An in-depth study on Adaptation to Climate Change in Agriculture and Related Natural Resources. This report focuses on lessons learned and good implementation practices.
Knowledge products with a regional focus:
The Africa Region is conducting rural risk management studies in Ethiopia and Senegal.
The Middle East and North Africa Region has initiated a series of studies; (i) Assets at Risk in the Nile Delta under alternative Sea Level Rise Scenarios; (ii) Impacts of Climate Change on Cereals and High-Value Export Crops, and the Related Implications for Agricultural Policies in Morocco; and (iii) Impacts of Climate Change on the Agriculture Sector in Tunisia.
The South Asia Region has completed a study on Adaptation to Drought in Andhra Pradesh, India and is finalizing an analytical work on Addressing Vulnerability to Climate Variability and Climate Change through an Assessment of Adaptation Issues and Options in India. It is also initiating analytical work on the effects of climate change in the Himalayan countries with a focus on water, agriculture and livelihoods.
The Latin America and Caribbean Region is initiating work on adaptation in the agriculture sector in the breadbasket region of the Pampas in Argentina and Southern Brazil. The impacts of glaciers retreat on water resources and agriculture are also being analyzed.
Other Departments Working on Adaptation at the World Bank Social Development
The Social Development department is conducting a series of studies on the social impacts of climate change which span issues of conflict, migration, livelihoods of indigenous peoples, urban policy, and implications for dryland agrarian societies.
Urban Development
The Bank's Urban Development department is becoming increasingly engaged on climate change issues. A network on climate change is under formation.
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