Impact Assessment

Climate change impact assessments are used to discover how future changes in atmospheric CO2, temperature, precipitation, and other climatic variables will negatively (or positively) affect the natural environment, agriculture, energy, land and water resources, transportation, human health and welfare, human social systems, and biological diversity. Impact assessments may be conducted at any scale (local-regional-national-international) and may draw upon qualitative synthesis of existing research, or use quantitative model-based analysis. Impact assessments enable managers, decision makers, researchers and stakeholders to begin the process of considering potential responses to climate change impacts. Impact assessments do not explore capacity to adapt in detail (see Vulnerability Assessments).