$75-100 billion a year needed to adapt to climate change: WB

BANGKOK: It will cost developing countries between USD 75 billion and USD 100 billion a year to adapt to climate change for the next 40 years, a new World Bank study reveals.

The 'Economics of Adaptation to Climate Change' (EACC) study showed that under the relatively dryer scenario, the adaptation cost is estimated at USD 75 billion per year, while under the scenario that assumes a future wetter climate, the cost is USD 100 billion.

In the draft consultation document, released at the ongoing new climate change treaty talk here, is a key part of the overall analysis involved in estimating the adaptation costs for major economic sectors under two alternative climate scenarios.

"Roughly the costs of adapting to a two-degree celsius warmer world are of the same order of magnitude as current overseas development assistance," said Katherine Sierra, World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development.

Faced with the prospect of huge additional infrastructure costs, as well as drought, disease and dramatic reductions in agricultural productivity, developing countries needed to be prepared for the potential consequences of unchecked climate change, World Bank said.