The World Bank research program on climate change is guided by a strategic framework for development and climate change. It focuses on impacts and adaptation; mitigation; and international responses.

Research focus | Research themes 

Green Growth and Development (Nov 2012)

A number of leading experts were commissioned to write papers for the Inaugural Conference of the Green Growth Knowledge Platform, which took place in Mexico City in January 2012. The papers highlight both the contributions of the current state of environment and development economics for addressing the question, and important knowledge gaps warranting additional work.
Summaries >>

Natural capital, ecological scarcity and rural poverty
Much of the rural poor -- who are growing in number -- are concentrated in ecologically fragile and remote areas. The key ecological scarcity problem facing such poor households is a vicious cycle of declining livelihoods, increased ecological degradation and loss of resource commons, and declining ecosystem services on which the poor depend. 
Working Paper 6232, Oct 2012

Is green growth good for the poor?
The developing world is experiencing substantial environmental change, and climate change is likely to accelerate these processes in the coming decades. Due to their initial poverty and their relatively high dependence on environmental capital for their livelihoods, the poor are likely to suffer most due to their low resources for mitigation and investment in adaptation. 
Working Paper 6231, Oct 2012

Green growth -- lessons from growth theory
This paper reviews dynamic general equilibrium models in order to collect insights on the interaction between economic growth and environmental issues. The authors discuss the Ramsey model and extend it for natural resource inputs and pollution, as well as for endogenous technical change. Green growth becomes within reach if there is good substitution, a clean backstop technology, a small share of natural resources in gross domestic product, and/or green directed technical change..
Working Paper 6230, Oct 2012

 Themes

Impacts and adaptation
Impacts of climate change on water, land, coastal areas; options for reducing adverse consequences of these impacts for economic development and human well-being.

• Coastal areas
• Extreme Weather 

Mitigation
Drivers of greenhouse gas emissions in energy and other sectors; the design of policies and measures for mitigating emissions.

• Emissions trading and taxes
• Low-carbon economic growth possibilities 
• Renewable energy
• Transport and emissions 
• Climate agreements and policy 

 

• Country stakes in climate negotiations 
• Agriculture

 

Related links
World Bank web sites and reports related to operational work on climate change.

• Bankwide topic page on climate change 
• Bank's strategic framework for development and climate change  
• Global Environment Facility - Climate Change 
• International Finance Corporation (IFC) work on climate change 
• International Development Association (IDA) work on climate change 
• World Development Report 2010: Development and Climate Change 
• Blog: Development in a Changing Climate

Mike Toman
mtoman@worldbank.org

 

Susmita Dasgupta
Uwe Deichmann 
Donald Larson
Jon Strand
Govinda Timilsina  

(Please use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader  to view PDF files)
The following policy research working papers are drawn from the World Bank's institutional archives. Each link opens a page with an abstract of the document and several download options. For working papers before 2007, please use document search at econ.worldbank.org/docsearch.