Climate change is likely to have profound effects on developing countries both through the climate impacts experienced, but also through the policies, programmes and projects adopted to address climate change. Climate change mitigation (actions taken to reduce the extent of climate change), adaptation (actions taken to ameliorate the impacts), and on-going development are all critical to reduce current and future losses associated with climate change, and to harness gains. In the context of limited resources to invest in climate change, policies, programmes, or projects that deliver ‘triple wins’ (i.e. generating climate adaptation, mitigation and development benefits), also known as climate compatible development, are increasingly discussed by bilateral and multilateral donors. However, there remains an absence of empirical evidence of the benefits and costs of triple win policies.

This paper, An investigation of the evidence of benefits from climate compatible development, assesses evidence of ‘triple wins’ on the ground, and the feasibility of triple wins that do not generate negative impacts. It is part of the project, Achieving triple wins: identifying climate smart investment strategies for the coastal zone, which aims to support national coastal planners and policy makers in selecting appropriate adaptation and mitigation priorities for the coastal zone that deliver triple wins i.e. identifying options that are emissions reducing, that enable people to adapt to climate change, that enhance local livelihoods. This paper describes the theoretical linkages that exist between adaptation, mitigation and development, as well as the trade-offs and synergies that might exist between them. Using four developing country studies, the paper makes an assessment of the extent of climate compatible development policy in practice through the lens of ‘no-regrets’, ‘low regrets’ and ‘with regrets’ decision making.

Futher reading:

Project homepage: Achieving triple wins: identifying climate smart investment strategies for the coastal zone
Project details: Achieving triple wins: identifying climate smart investment strategies for the
coastal zone
Briefing paper: Opportunities for triple-wins development in coastal Belize