Program on Climate Economics

Left unchecked, global climate change will profoundly affect the global, national and regional economies. Even modest global warming will produce significant economic change.

Both mitigation and preparation will cost money and involve economic risks. Yet, both offer the potential of new economic opportunities, job growth and security

What if we don’t act to address climate change?

The Climate Leadership Initiative and ECONorthwest recently released reports on February 16, 2009 on the economic costs of climate change in-action for Washington, Oregon, and New Mexico.

The Washington economic report projects ‘business-as-usual’ would cost $3.6 billion annually– led largely by health-care — by 2020 if no
action is taken to address climate change.

University of Oregon