Co-benefits of climate action are additional positive consequences that result from mitigation or adaptation measures. These might be a boost to prosperity, enhanced wellbeing or the protection of biodiversity. Whilst there are a growing number of instances of co-benefits being included in decision-making on climate action, this is often not the case.
This report synthesises the academic literature on co-benefits and presents four case studies that explore different aspects of co-benefits of climate action. Dr. Joshua Lait and Professor Timothy Foxon produced Case Study 2: How Cornwall Council “Decision Wheels” Enable Assessment of Multiple Policy Goals. This case study draws on EDRC research that aims to identify inclusive and useful frameworks for UK net-zero policy.
A longstanding method for assessing the multiple impacts of policy is cost-benefit analysis, which relies on the financial valuation of co-benefits to assess trade-offs between potential impacts. However, many UK local authorities, including Cornwall Council, are beginning to develop and use alternative governance tools that support comparisons across a wide range of impacts, measured in physical or social value terms, within a coherent framework such as a Decision Wheel.
Cornwall Council’s Decision Wheels illustrate the potential environmental, social, and economic effects of a proposed project or decision, highlighting the co-benefits and trade-offs of particular actions. A local authority policy officer identified three core advantages of using Decision Wheels:
- It ensures projects are evaluated in relation to a range of policy areas.
- Stakeholders from different service areas are encouraged to work together to mitigate adverse impacts.
- The rationale and evidence behind the decisions are made transparent.
