Costing adaptation to climate change impacts in forest ecosystems A case study with experiences from India

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present a framework for estimating the costs of adaptation to climate change impacts on ecosystems. Design/methodology/approach - While existing studies on costing adaptation base themselves on either the financial flows on conservation or the costs of specific adaptation measures at the global level, the methodology presented here takes into account the impacts on ecosystems, the identification of vulnerable areas, and adaptation options at a more regional level. Findings - The framework is then applied to forest ecosystems in India. The authors find that the total adaptation costs for forest ecosystems in India until 2085 are in the range of $1.34-2.32 billion. Originality/value - The key contribution of this paper is the proposal that for any robust estimation of adaptation costs, people should take into account the regional level impacts and the multiple adaptation options linked to those impacts.