Responding to Threats of Climate Change Mega-Catastrophes

There is a low but uncertain probability that climate change could trigger "mega-catastrophes," severe and at least partly irreversible adverse effects across broad regions. This paper first discusses the state of current knowledge and th...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors:	Kousky, Carolyn, Rostapshova, Olga, Toman, Michael, Zeckhauser, Richard
Format:	Policy Research Working Paper
Language:	English
Published:	2012
Subjects:	ABATEMENT ABATEMENT COSTS ABRUPT CLIMATE ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE ABSORPTION ACID ACID RAIN ACIDIFICATION ADVERSE IMPACTS FROM CLIMATE AIR ALBEDO ALLOWANCE ATMOSPHERE ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY BIOMASS CARBON CARBON DIOXIDE CARBON ENERGY CARBON ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES CARBON SEQUESTRATION CARBON TECHNOLOGIES CATASTROPHIC CLIMATE CHANGE CATASTROPHIC EVENTS CATASTROPHIC IMPACTS CLIMATE CLIMATE CHANGE CLIMATE CHANGE CATASTROPHES CLIMATE CHANGE DAMAGE CLIMATE CHANGE DISASTERS CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH CLIMATE CHANGES CLIMATE DYNAMICS CLIMATE EXTREMES CLIMATE IMPACTS CLIMATE POLICY CLIMATE RESEARCH CLIMATE SENSITIVITY CLIMATE SYSTEM CLIMATE VARIABILITY CLIMATE-CHANGE CLIMATE-CHANGE CATASTROPHE CLIMATE-CHANGE RISK ANALYSIS CLIMATIC CHANGE CLIMATIC IMPACTS CLOUD COVER CO CO2 CONCENTRATIONS CONTINGENCY PLANNING CONTINGENCY PLANS COSTS OF ABATEMENT COSTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE COSTBENEFIT ANALYSIS DAMAGES DEEP UNCERTAINTY DESERTIFICATION DISASTER DISASTER MANAGEMENT DISASTER PREPAREDNESS DISASTER REDUCTION DISASTER RISK DISASTER RISK REDUCTION DISASTER RISKS DISCOUNT RATE DROUGHT DROUGHTS EARLY WARNING ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS ECONOMIC COSTS ECONOMIC GROWTH ECONOMIC MODEL ECONOMICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ECOSYSTEM EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT EMERGENCY RESPONDERS EMISSIONS CORRIDORS EMISSIONS LEVELS ENERGY SYSTEM ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION EVACUATION EXTINCTION RISK FROM CLIMATE CHANGE EXTREME EVENT EXTREME EVENTS FAT TAIL FAT TAILS FERTILIZATION FINANCIAL CRISIS FINANCIAL SUPPORT FLOOD FLOOD PROTECTION FLOODED FLOODING FLOODS FOOD AID FOOD SHORTAGES FOREST FOREST PRODUCTS GHG GHGS GLOBAL CLIMATE GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE GLOBAL EMISSIONS GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS GLOBAL MEAN TEMPERATURES GLOBAL TEMPERATURE GLOBAL WARMING GREENHOUSE GREENHOUSE GAS GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS GREENHOUSE GASES GREENHOUSE WARMING HABITATS HEAT WAVE HEAT WAVES HURRICANE HURRICANES HYDROLOGIC CYCLE ICE AGE ICE SHEET ICE SHEETS IMPACT OF CLIMATE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE INSURANCE INSURANCE INDUSTRY INSURANCE MARKETS INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE INVESTMENT DECISIONS IPCC LOW-CARBON MEAN TEMPERATURE MEAN TEMPERATURE INCREASE MEDICINE METHANE NATIONAL INCOME NATURAL DISASTERS NATURAL PHENOMENA NEGATIVE IMPACTS NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE NUCLEAR POWER OCEAN CIRCULATION OCEAN CURRENTS PANDEMIC PANDEMICS PARTICLES PARTICULATE PARTICULATE MATTER PARTICULATES POLICY ANALYSIS POLICY IMPLICATIONS PORTFOLIO PRECAUTIONARY APPROACH PRECIPITATION PUBLIC SAFETY PUMPS PURCHASES RADIATIVE FORCING RAINFALL RAPID MELTING RATE OF CLIMATE CHANGE REFLECTIVITY RELATIVE PRICE RELATIVE PRICES RESOURCE ECONOMICS RISK MANAGEMENT RISK REDUCTION RISK REDUCTIONS RISKS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE RISKS OF CLIMATE CHANGE SAFETY SCENARIOS SCIENTIST SCIENTISTS SEA LEVEL RISE SEA-LEVEL SEA-LEVEL RISE SENSITIVITY ANALYSES SET ASIDE SEVERE WEATHER SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS STORM STORMS SUBSISTENCE AGRICULTURE SULFATE SULFATE PARTICLES SULFATES SULFUR TEMPERATURE TEMPERATURE INCREASES TERRORISM TERRORIST THREAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE THREATS OF CLIMATE CHANGE TOTAL COST UNCERTAINTIES UPPER ATMOSPHERE URBAN AREAS UTILITY FUNCTION UTILITY FUNCTIONS WAR
Online Access:	http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20091112100234 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/4318