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Adaptation and Its Measurement

Adaptation and Its Measurement 572 EDITORIAL COMMENT There can be no doubt that, both as individuals and in groups, people do adapt to changes in their natural, social or economic environment. The adaptation can involve not only changes in behavior but also changes in preferences (habituation, or hedonic adaptation). In either case, the adaptation has the effect of reducing the cost – monetary or psychic – of an adverse change in their circumstances. The important questions in the climate change context are all empirical: When will people adapt? How much will they adapt? And, how much will their adaptation lower the cost of climate change? My reservations towards Mendelsohn’s (2000) paper center on his (implicit) answers to these empirical questions. My concerns are centered on two core issues: the efficiency of adaptation and the question of measurement error in assessing the cost savings due to adaptation. 2. Efficient Adaptation Mendelsohn’s discussion of efficient adaptation employs a line of reasoning, very common among economists, that readily mixes normative and positive analyses as though these were equivalent. He argues that adaptation should be encouraged; that it will occur; and that it will tend to be efficient as long as no externalities or collective action are http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Climatic Change Springer Journals

Adaptation and Its Measurement

Hanemann, W.
Climatic Change , Volume 45 (4) – Oct 8, 2004
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References (32)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2000 by Kluwer Academic Publishers
Subject
Earth Sciences; Atmospheric Sciences; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts
ISSN
0165-0009
eISSN
1573-1480
DOI
10.1023/A:1005665810965
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

572 EDITORIAL COMMENT There can be no doubt that, both as individuals and in groups, people do adapt to changes in their natural, social or economic environment. The adaptation can involve not only changes in behavior but also changes in preferences (habituation, or hedonic adaptation). In either case, the adaptation has the effect of reducing the cost – monetary or psychic – of an adverse change in their circumstances. The important questions in the climate change context are all empirical: When will people adapt? How much will they adapt? And, how much will their adaptation lower the cost of climate change? My reservations towards Mendelsohn’s (2000) paper center on his (implicit) answers to these empirical questions. My concerns are centered on two core issues: the efficiency of adaptation and the question of measurement error in assessing the cost savings due to adaptation. 2. Efficient Adaptation Mendelsohn’s discussion of efficient adaptation employs a line of reasoning, very common among economists, that readily mixes normative and positive analyses as though these were equivalent. He argues that adaptation should be encouraged; that it will occur; and that it will tend to be efficient as long as no externalities or collective action are

Journal

Climatic Change – Springer Journals

Published: Oct 8, 2004

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