Standard ex-ante methods for ranking options are CBA, MEA and MCA. Cost-benefit analysis (CBA), cost-effective analysis (CEA) and multi-criteria analysis (MCA) are each methods for selecting an option from a set. The criteria for selecting between CBA, CEA and MCA is based on which outcome attributes are of interest to the decision maker. If all attributes can be assigned one common attribute of money, then CBA is appropriate. If only one of the attributes cannot be assigned a money attribute, then CEA is appropriate. When two or more attributes cannot be assigned a common money attribute (and also cannot be expressed in one common attribute) MCA is appropriate.
Read more in the Toolbox under the following category:
Formal decision-analysis |
Toolbox detail page(s) available for:
Adaptation decision matrix | |
Cost benefit analysis (CBA) | |
Cost effectiveness analysis (CEA) | |
Multicriteria Analysis (MCA) |
Case study steps identified for task 'Expected outcomes: utility, welfare, effect etc. (e.g. CEA, CBA)'.
SE4 - Guadalquivir basin | |
What are the most appropriate adaptation strategies to ensure the maintenance of agricultural activity while preserving the environment in the rural areas? |
weADAPT case studies identidied for task 'Ex-post ranking of options (Adaptive management)' 1
MCA | |
Linking Water Scarcity with Climate Change
The main goal of the Yemen NCAP project was to mainstream priority adaptation activities that would build resilience against increasing water scarcity among vulnerable communities, sectors, and ecosystems in three representative areas. Within this overarching goal, there were four specific objectives for each case study area... | |
NAIADE: using multi-criteria analysis to address water issues
NAIADE is a multi-criteria analysis tool applied within a broader social multi-criteria evaluation (SMCE) method that combines quantitative and qualitative information through participatory processes to support decision-making. In 2000, NAIADE was applied to address the perceived problem of under-exploitation of the potential availability of water resources in the town of Troina (eastern Sicily, Italy)... | |
MCA / CBA | |
ORCHID: Mainstreaming Adaptation in Development Investments in the Water Sector in China
ORCHID is designed to be a light touch screening process for donors, development organisations and their partners to integrate risk reduction and adaptation processes into their programmes. This research project developed a framework to assist with the assessment of climate change impacts and integration of adaptation... | |
CBA | |
Estimating and Comparing Costs and Benefits of Adaptation Projects
The broad objective of AIACC project 47 was to develop the capacity to estimate and compare the benefits and costs of projects in natural resource sectors that reduce the expected damages from climate change in Southern and West Africa... | |
CEA | |
Sea-Level Rise and Impacts in Africa, 2000 to 2100. Application of the DIVA model to Africa.
Economic costs of sea level rise (Africa and each country) and costs of adaptation using DIVA model. Africa has a large and growing coastal population, including a number of important coastal cities. With sea-level rise, flooding and inundation of coastal areas would be expected creating problems for infrastructure, transportation, agriculture and water resources within the coastal zone. ... | |
1 note that this does not imply that the Mediation Integrated Methodology was used in these cases. |
This section is based on the UNEP PROVIA guidance document |
1. | You want to appraise adaptation options. | |
2. | The focus is either on collective actions and there are no conflicting interests of private actors, or the focus is on individual collective actions. | |
3. | Decisions can be formalised. | |
4. | Either the set of options includes only short term ones or residual impacts can not be projected. | |
5. | There are risks are due to current climate variability. | |
6. | The relative costs of outcomes are high. | |
7. | Valuation has been addressed. |