Managing private and public adaptation to climate change

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2011.09.010Get rights and content
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Abstract

Adaptation to climate change is already being delivered by public and private actors, yet there has been little analysis of the relationships between the providers and beneficiaries of adaptation. This paper reviews the type of actors that are supplying adaptation services and their motivations. We then focus on a specific, under-explored case of adaptation: that of privately provided adaptation public goods and services, the realization of which is contingent on the individual management of private goods and private risks. Following the work of Olson (1965) we find that the benefits of the privately provided adaptation public good do not necessarily accrue back to the (same) individuals who are the providers. The characteristics of this particular form of public good pose specific institutional challenges. In this paper we: 1) explore the characteristics and defining features of these privately provided adaptation public goods; 2) argue that this form of adaptation provisioning is increasingly recognised as a feature in climate change adaptation (and/or social transformation) problems; 3) review existing cases of effective/ineffective management of these public goods; and 4) outline the institutions that may be required to facilitate the management of these public goods for adaptation.

Highlights

► We explore privately provided adaptation public goods. ► These goods are intangible and abstract with asymmetric distribution of costs and benefits. ► These goods are increasingly a feature of climate change adaptation/social transformation problems. ► Deliberate suppliers of these goods are either altruists or those seeking (in)direct compensation. ► Many institutional mechanisms are needed to deliver adequate supply of these goods.

Keywords

Resilience
Externalities
Public goods
Property rights
Adaptation
Private sector
Motivation
Supply
Regulation
Compensation
Social contracts
Olson
Climate change

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