Integrated mitigation and adaptation planning

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute describes how integrating the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) and Water Evaluation and Adaptation Planning (WEAP) tools, alongside macroeconomic modelling, allows governments to plan for climate-resilient development by analyzing the interdependencies between water and energy systems.

• Governments often plan for water and energy sectors in isolation, which leads them to overlook critical risks, trade-offs, and opportunities for more resilient economic growth, despite recognizing that climate change impacts both systems.
• The Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) is a scenario-based tool used by approximately 75,000 users in over 200 economies to track energy consumption, production, and resource extraction, and to evaluate the costs and emissions of different policy measures.
• Water Evaluation and Adaptation Planning (WEAP) is a software tool for integrated water resources scenario planning that simulates climate scenarios and evaluates water development options, including supply-demand gaps and allocation during scarcity.
• Integrating LEAP and WEAP with macroeconomic modelling enables planners to identify synergies, such as how efficient drip irrigation can simultaneously reduce water and energy demand, and to understand the GDP implications of resource allocation choices.
• In Rwanda, analysis indicated that achieving Vision 2050 would increase water demand by 1140%, primarily for irrigation; however, tripling water storage and improving conservation could prevent annual GDP losses of up to 5% caused by water supply fluctuations.
• An analysis of the Syr Darya River basin involving Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan found that cooperative water planning could increase water storage, boost agricultural production through 2050 in three countries, and lower greenhouse gas emissions by replacing coal with hydropower.
• Integrated modelling helps countries align their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) to optimize limited climate finance and ensure investments support sustainable growth.
• Climate-driven water stress has severe economic consequences, as seen in Ecuador where droughts from 2022–2024 led to daily blackouts starting in September 2024, resulting in at least USD 2 billion in lost economic output by mid-October.

APA

Davis, M., Huber-Lee, A., Forni, L., Veysey, J., & Kemp-Benedict, E. (2025). Integrated mitigation and adaptation planning. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/integrated-mitigation-adaptation-leap-weap-macroeconomic.pdf

Chicago

Davis, Marion, Annette Huber-Lee, Laura Forni, Jason Veysey, and Eric Kemp-Benedict. Integrated mitigation and adaptation planning. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2025. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/integrated-mitigation-adaptation-leap-weap-macroeconomic.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Davis |first1=Marion |last2=Huber-Lee |first2=Annette |last3=Forni |first3=Laura |last4=Veysey |first4=Jason |last5=Kemp-Benedict |first5=Eric |title=Integrated mitigation and adaptation planning |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=November 2025 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/integrated-mitigation-adaptation-leap-weap-macroeconomic.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{davis2025integrated, author = {Davis, Marion and Huber-Lee, Annette and Forni, Laura and Veysey, Jason and Kemp-Benedict, Eric}, title = {{Integrated mitigation and adaptation planning}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2025}, month = nov, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/integrated-mitigation-adaptation-leap-weap-macroeconomic.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }