Institutions, climate services and adaptation - Grantham Research Institute on climate change and the environment

This project explores the roles of public and private sectors in delivering adaptation, with a specific focus on multinational corporations.

Many of the largest businesses in the world are taking steps to adapt their operations to climate change. Under the headers of risk management, reducing impact, increasing sustainability, or environmental and social governance, multinational corporations are implementing programs throughout their supply chain to minimise the potential impacts of climate change on their operations, improve resource efficiency, enhance the production and use of sustainable raw materials; and support customers’, suppliers’ and communities’ efforts to adapt to climate change.

The role and impact of multinational corporations in promoting adaptation and, more generally, climate-resilient development is poorly understood. This research aims to address the knowledge gap and explore the drivers of adaptation by multinational corporations. Further, it will examine the role and responsibilities of local, national and international actors in enabling adaptation. In particular, this research is interested in the evolution of new partnerships, standards and initiatives to support adaptation, the shifting power relations between the multiple actors, as well as the equity dimensions of adaptation by multinational corporations.

Close collaboration with and input to the following publications is ongoing:

The Committee on Climate Change Adaptation Sub Committee’s progress report 2014
World Business Council for Sustainable Development survey on business resilience
Second UCCRN Assessment Report on Climate Change and Cities (ARC3-2).

Publications:

Surminski, S., 2013. Private-sector adaptation to climate risk. Nature Climate Change, 3, pp.943-945. External link to article

Surminski, S. and Lopez, A., in press. The concept of Loss and Damage of climate change – a new challenge for climate decision-making? A science perspective. Climate and Development.

Surminski, S. and Eldridge, J., in press. Observations on the role of the private sector in the UNFCCC’s loss and damage of climate change work programme. Journal of Global Warming.

Surminski, S., 2013. Synthesis paper: Perspectives on Loss and Damage. Summary of Presentations given at the European Adaptation to Climate Change Conference (ECCA), Hamburg, Germany.

Ranger, N., Surminski, S., 2013. Disaster resilience and post-2015 development goals: the options for economics targets and indicators. Policy paper. London: Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, and Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science.