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To provide insight into the wide range of outcomes that climate change will have on individuals, the Climate Impact Equity Lens (CIEL, pronounced “see-el”) calculates net gains and losses from a global failure to cut greenhouse gas emissions, viewed not as global or national averages, but instead for individuals. The purpose of the tool is to illustrate both the severity and the diversity of expected impacts from climate change.

By failing to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we save money now by avoiding having to pay for a new, zero-carbon energy system – at the expense of what are likely to be disastrous climate impacts worldwide in the not-too-distant future. For some, the gains from avoided costs may be larger than the damages they will face from climate change, at least in the short run. These individuals will be “net gainers” from emissions for decades to come; a small number will continue to benefit into the next century. For others, climate damages – even today and more so in the future – are far larger than any gains they receive from the fossil fuel economy; these individuals are “net losers” from emissions.

Download the background paper (PDF: 1.24MB)