Journal Special Issue
Climate Change and Economic Development

The roots of development economics lie in the study of large-scale phenomena such as economic transformation. Climate change, as a global phenomenon, is drawing the attention of the profession back towards studies of transformational processes, including new considerations of adaptation and low-carbon development. From the perspective of low-income countries, the most immediate research need is to obtain an adequate understanding of climate change impacts and their implications for countries’ development strategies.

The studies in this special issue of the Review of Development Economics represent the vanguard of research into the impacts of climate change and associated adaptation strategies. The special issue includes case studies for five developing countries: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. While the details vary by country, each case study adopts a similar interdisciplinary approach. To rigorously assess impacts of climate change for a given country, one must first identify a series of likely climate trajectories. These climate projections are then translated into biophysical outcomes, such as river flow, crop yields and flood probability.

Finally, multi-sectoral biophysical impacts must be translated into economic outcomes. To achieve this, a series of interlinked modelling frameworks are brought to bear, including models of climate, water, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, and the economy. This integrated modelling framework provides a complex but decomposable approach to rigorously considering the implications of climate change and identifying potential, robust strategic responses.

Table of contents
  1. Economic Development under Climate Change
    Channing Arndt, Paul S. Chinowsky, Sherman Robinson, Kenneth Strzepek, Finn Tarp, James Thurlow
  2. Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in Tanzania
    Channing Arndt, William Farmer, Kenneth Strzepek, James Thurlow
    More Working Paper | Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security in Tanzania
  3. Current Climate Variability and Future Climate Change: Estimated Growth and Poverty Impacts for Zambia
    James Thurlow, Tingju Zhu, Xinshen Diao
    More Working Paper | Current Climate Variability and Future Climate Change
  4. A Stochastic Simulation Approach to Estimating the Economic Impacts of Climate Change in Bangladesh
    James Thurlow, Paul A. Dorosh, Winston H. Yu
    More Working Paper | A Stochastic Simulation Approach to Estimating the Economic Impacts of Climate Change in Bangladesh
  5. Agriculture and Trade Opportunities for Tanzania: Past Volatility and Future Climate Change
    Syud Amer Ahmed, Noah S. Diffenbaugh, Thomas W. Hertel, William J. Martin
    More Working Paper | Agriculture and Trade Opportunities for Tanzania
  6. Climate Change and Roads: A Dynamic Stressor-Response Model
    Paul S. Chinowsky, Channing Arndt
  7. Climate Change, Growth and Infrastructure Investment: The Case of Mozambique
    Channing Arndt, Paul S. Chinowsky, Kenneth Strzepek, James Thurlow
    More Working Paper | Climate Change and Infrastructure Investment in Developing Countries
  8. Power Ahead: Meeting Ethiopia's Energy Needs Under a Changing Climate
    Paul Block, Kenneth Strzepek
    More Working Paper | Power Ahead
  9. A Dynamic General Equilibrium Analysis of Adaptation to Climate Change in Ethiopia
    Sherman Robinson, Dirk Willenbockel, Kenneth Strzepek
    More Working Paper | A Dynamic General Equilibrium Analysis of Adaptation to Climate Change in Ethiopia
  10. Some Forward Looking Thoughts on Studying Climate Adaptation for an Uncertain Future: A Postscript Editorial Comment
    Gary W. Yohe
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