Creating Policy Tools for Climate Change Adaptation (MEDIATION)

Overview

MEDIATION is developing the sophisticated analytical tools needed by European policymakers to improve adaptation to future social, economic, and physical changes caused by climate change.  The goal of the project is to enable  policymakers to answer adaptation-related questions in different political contexts, on different geographical scales, and at different stages of policy development.  The project is intended to remedy what researchers describe as the “incomplete and fragmented” climate change information currently available to policymakers.

IIASA Research

In the early stages of the project, IIASA assessed the climate change adaptation-related tools that would be needed by European policymakers at different levels of government in different countries.  Extensive interviews with policymakers were conducted and existing adaptation policy proposals in several EU countries were reviewed.

Currently, IIASA researchers are developing databases, models, methods, and metrics to inform economists, risk managers, agricultural specialists and other decision makers. Among these  is the CATSIM model, developed and refined over many years at IIASA to improve financial disaster risk management. These analytical tools will be applicable to a variety of adaptation challenges in different regions and political contexts. The tools will not tell decision makers what to do, but will suggest routes that may lead them to solutions. 

IIASA researchers are also providing guidance for developing a methodology to improve the EU’s envisioned European Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation Clearinghouse. Coordinated by the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen, the Clearinghouse aims to be an integrated and interoperable  information system for the development of adaptation policies.  

Last edited: 20 August 2012