Government organizations are responsible for strategic decisions regarding the economic development of individual countries and regional areas. This decision-making process is influenced by the certainty of the information presented to government officials. One area where this decision-making influence is challenging government officials is in climate-based events. The past decade has witnessed a significant rise in the number of climate events, as well as the number of people affected by climate events. Far from being under control, evidence and long-term projections suggest that these events are climate-based rather than weather-based. In these projections, climate change is a global issue with potential impacts for every country. However, the relative impact of these events will be far different in the developed and developing worlds. As detailed in this paper, the authors examined this disparity through an analysis of 10 countries with varying income levels to determine the relative impact of climate change in the context of a single infrastructure element, paved and unpaved roads. Using the latest global climate models combined with economic and infrastructure data, the study highlights the disparity of opportunity costs between high- and low-income countries. Roads are a key element in enabling developing economy communities to have access to basic services, generate an income through agriculture and gain productive employment. The potential for road damage and the inability to invest in new road infrastructure could impact the economic stability of communities. The paper provides a quantitative introduction to these issues and the challenges presented to government organizations when considering the long-term effects of climate change.

© 2011 Taylor & Francis Group