Defining climate compatible development

This policy brief defines 'climate compatible development' as an integrated approach that minimizes climate-related harm while maximizing human development opportunities through low-emissions and resilient growth. It argues that policy makers must move beyond the traditional separation of adaptation, mitigation, and development to achieve 'triple win' strategies that simultaneously promote development, build resilience, and reduce emissions.

• Climate compatible development is defined as development that "minimises the harm caused by climate impacts, while maximising the many human development opportunities presented by a low emissions, more resilient, future."
• The concept integrates three distinct strategies: 'climate resilient development' (safeguarding development from climate impacts), 'low emissions development' (reducing emissions without compromising development goals), and 'triple win' strategies that achieve all three goals simultaneously.
• Climate change is altering the global development landscape by changing patterns of innovation, trade, and production, and introducing new financial relationships based on 'polluter-pays' principles rather than traditional charity.
• Developing countries face specific economic risks and opportunities: export-oriented growth may be hindered by rising transport costs, while some may benefit from carbon market incentives for forest conservation or demand for biofuels.
• The document identifies significant barriers to achieving climate compatible development, including the difficulty of predicting the timing and scale of change, the lack of a stable carbon price, and the need for long-term strategies that exceed a single political cycle.
• Guyana is cited as an example of a progressive low carbon development strategy, using the REDD+ mechanism to preserve rainforests and fund investments in clean energy, flood adaptation, and village economies.

APA

Mitchell, T., & Maxwell, S. (2010). Defining climate compatible development. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/CDKN-CCD-Planning_english.pdf

Chicago

Mitchell, Tom, and Simon Maxwell. Defining climate compatible development. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2010. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/CDKN-CCD-Planning_english.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mitchell |first1=Tom |last2=Maxwell |first2=Simon |title=Defining climate compatible development |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=November 2010 |url=http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/CDKN-CCD-Planning_english.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mitchell2010defining, author = {Mitchell, Tom and Maxwell, Simon}, title = {{Defining climate compatible development}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2010}, month = nov, url = {http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/CDKN-CCD-Planning_english.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }