Double exposure: assessing the impacts of climate change within the context of economic globalization

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0959-3780(00)00021-2Get rights and content

Abstract

This paper considers synergisms between the impacts of two global processes, climate change and economic globalization. Both processes entail long-term changes that will have differential impacts throughout the world. Despite widespread recognition that there will be “winners” and “losers” with both climate change and globalization, the two issues are rarely examined together. In this paper, we introduce the concept of double exposure as a framework for examining the simultaneous impacts of climate change and globalization. Double exposure refers to the fact that certain regions, sectors, ecosystems and social groups will be confronted both by the impacts of climate change, and by the consequences of globalization. By considering the joint impacts of the two processes, new sets of winners and losers emerge.

Section snippets

Global processes

Climate change is emerging as one of the most challenging problems facing the world in the 21st century. Scientists and policy makers have become embroiled in extensive debates about potential changes brought about by an increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, along with strategies for mitigation and adaptation. Assessments of the global and regional impacts of climate change have formed the cornerstone for climate policy debates. Underlying these debates is the recognition that

Winners and losers

The idea of winners and losers has been referred to frequently in discussions of both climate change impacts and the consequences of globalization. Winners are considered those countries, regions or social groups that are likely to benefit from the ongoing processes of climate change or globalization, while losers are those that are disadvantaged by the processes and likely to experience negative consequences. The notion of winners and losers is contentious in both arenas, as it undermines any

Climate change

There is a growing consensus that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions have contributed to a change in the climate, and that such trends will continue into the future unless dramatic mitigation measures are adopted (Houghton et al., 1996). As discussed above, there is a broad recognition that there will be both winners and losers associated with climate change. Although there is a large amount of uncertainty associated with future climate scenarios, it is quite clear that the distribution of

Economic globalization

Economic globalization describes a set of processes whereby production and consumption activities shift from the local or national scale to the global scale. Globalization is manifest through a number of interrelated changes, including rising levels of international trade, foreign investment, and multinational firm activity. It is also manifest through falling political barriers to trade and investment, integration of global financial markets, integration of production activities across

Double exposure

Both climate change and economic globalization are ongoing processes with uneven impacts, and both include implicit winners and losers. Nevertheless, discussions of winners and losers rarely take into account the fact that both processes are occurring simultaneously. To address this, we introduce the concept of double exposure. Double exposure refers to cases where a particular region, sector, ecosystem or social group is confronted by the impacts of both climate change and economic

Issues and questions for future research

The examples above illustrate how the concept of “double exposure” can be approached from various perspectives. Climate change is likely to have differential impacts among regions, sectors, social groups and ecosystems. In some cases, the changes will be beneficial, whereas in other cases, they will cause major economic, social, and environmental disruptions. Likewise, as certain regions, sectors or social groups take advantage of opportunities associated with globalization, others are left out

References (68)

  • K. Appendini et al.

    Agricultural policy, climate change and food security in Mexico

    Food Policy

    (1994)
  • H.G. Bohle et al.

    Climate change and social vulnerability

    Global Environmental Change

    (1994)
  • M. Mason

    A look behind trend data in industrialization

    Global Environmental Change

    (1997)
  • P. Robbins

    TNCs and global environmental change

    Global Environmental Change

    (1996)
  • W.N. Adger

    Social vulnerability to climate change and extremes in coastal vietnam

    World Development

    (1999)
  • Agnew, J., Grant, R., 1997. Falling out of the world economy? Theorizing `Africa’ in world trade. In: Lee R., Wills, J....
  • J. Alcamo et al.

    Global modelling of environmental change: an overview of IMAGE 2.11

  • T. Barry

    Zapata's RevengeFree Trade and the Farm Crisis in Mexico

    (1995)
  • Bonnis, G., Legg, W., 1997. The Opening of Mexican agriculture. The OECD Observer No. 206,...
  • Boyer, R., Drache, D. (Eds.), 1996. States Against Markets: The Limits of Globalization. Routledge:...
  • Bredahl, M.E., Ballenger, N., Dunmore, J.C., Roe, T.L. (Eds.), 1996. Agriculture, Trade, and the Environment:...
  • M. Castells

    The Rise of the Network Society

    (1996)
  • M. Castells

    End of Millenium

    (1998)
  • M.E. Conroy et al.

    Unprecedented disparities, unparalleled adjustment needs: winners and losers on the NAFTA `fast track'

    Journal of InterAmerican Studies and World Affairs

    (1993)
  • P. Cook et al.

    Globalization, regionalization and third world development

    Regional Studies

    (1997)
  • Cornelius, W.A., Myhre, D. (Eds.), 1998. The Transformation of Rural Mexico: Reforming the Ejido Sector. Center for...
  • de Janvry, A., Gordillo, G., Sadoulet, E., 1997. Mexico's Second Agrarian Reform: Household and Community Responses,...
  • P. Dicken

    Global ShiftTransforming the World Economy

    (1997)
  • Dohlman, E., Halvorson-Quevedo, R., 1997. Globalisation and development. The OECD Observer No. 204,...
  • G. Epstein

    International capital mobility and the scope for national economic management

  • D. Esty

    Greening the GATT: Trade, Environment, and the Future

    (1995)
  • Fischer, B., 1990. Developing countries in the process of economic globalisation. Intereconomics, March/April,...
  • Fischer, G., Frohberg, K., Parry, M.L., Rosenzweig, C., 1994. Climate change and world food supply, demand and trade:...
  • M. Gates

    The debt crisis and economic restructuring: prospects for Mexican agriculture

  • M.H. Glantz

    Assessing the impacts of climatethe issue of winners and losers in a global climate change context

  • W. Greider

    One World, Ready or Not: The Manic Logic of Global Capitalism

    (1997)
  • P. Handley

    Before the flood

    Far Eastern Economic Review

    (1992)
  • B. Harrison

    Lean and Mean: Big Firms, Small Firms, Network Firms: Dualism and Development in the Age of Flexibility

    (1994)
  • Hawkins, T., 1997. Rich in optimism and opportunity. Financial Times, December 11,...
  • D.J. Hayward et al.

    The North American trade of US states: a comparative analysis of industrial shipments, 1983–1991

    International Regional Science Review

    (1995)
  • Hewitt de Alcantara, C. (Ed.), 1994. Economic Restructuring and Rural Subsistence in Mexico. Center for US–Mexican...
  • P. Hirst et al.

    Globalization in Question

    (1996)
  • Houghton, J.J., Meiro Filho, L.G., Callander, B.A., Harris, N., Kattenberg, A., Maskell, K. (Eds.), 1996. Climate...
  • Hulme, M. (Ed.), 1996. Climate change and Southern Africa: an exploration of some potential impacts and implications in...
  • Cited by (0)

    View full text