Real People, Real Impacts: The Climate Impact Equity Lens

The Stockholm Environment Institute's Climate Impact Equity Lens (CIEL) tool shifts the focus of climate impact analysis from regional averages to individuals. By comparing avoided emission-reduction costs with climate damages, CIEL identifies net "winners" and "losers." The tool indicates that while many currently benefit from inaction, the majority of the global population will suffer net losses by 2100 without stringent climate policy.

• The Climate Impact Equity Lens (CIEL) is a tool developed by SEI to analyze climate impacts on individuals rather than relying on aggregate figures or per capita averages from economic models, which often fail to reflect the severity of impacts on certain people or the range of projected outcomes.
• CIEL identifies net "winners" and "losers" by comparing an individual's climate damages in a specific year against the savings gained from not reducing emissions. While most people worldwide currently see net gains from inaction in the short run, the majority of the global population is projected to be net "losers" by 2100 if no far-reaching climate policy to control greenhouse gas emissions is implemented.
• Climate policies that prioritize the protection of the most vulnerable individuals, some of whom are already experiencing net losses, would be significantly more stringent than policies based on regional or global averages.

APA

Stanton, E. A., Bueno, R., & Davis, M. (2011). Real People, Real Impacts: The Climate Impact Equity Lens. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/publications/real-people-real-impacts-the-climate-impact-equity-lens-policy-brief/

Chicago

Stanton, E. A., R. Bueno, and M. Davis. Real People, Real Impacts: The Climate Impact Equity Lens. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2011. https://www.sei.org/publications/real-people-real-impacts-the-climate-impact-equity-lens-policy-brief/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Stanton |first1=E. A. |last2=Bueno |first2=R. |last3=Davis |first3=M. |title=Real People, Real Impacts: The Climate Impact Equity Lens |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=29 November 2011 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/real-people-real-impacts-the-climate-impact-equity-lens-policy-brief/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stanton2011real, author = {Stanton, E. A. and Bueno, R. and Davis, M.}, title = {{Real People, Real Impacts: The Climate Impact Equity Lens}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2011}, month = nov, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/real-people-real-impacts-the-climate-impact-equity-lens-policy-brief/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }