ND-GAIN Index

Posted on: 10/28/2013 - Updated on: 11/23/2021

Posted by

Rachel Gregg

Overview

The GAIN Index, a project of the Global Adaptation Institute (GAIN), provides a data-driven approach to help countries and the private sector invest in adaptation to climate change and other global forces.

Climate change is a reality and the challenge is only increasing as population shifts, urbanization and economic expansion continue. All countries must adapt in order to minimize the effects of climate change and other global forces. Despite expanding resource commitments from international institutions, public funding alone is not the solution. The private sector will play a key role in providing the necessary additional resources. The GAIN Index offers information on a country's vulnerability and its readiness to invest in sectors that will strengthen the resilience of nations, communities and individuals.

Vulnerability

GAIN Index vulnerability analysis seeks to capture exposure to climate related hazards, sensitivity to their impacts and the adaptive capacity to cope with those impacts. The GAIN Index uses 36 vulnerability indicators to measure three sectors that underlie human well-being (water, food, health, ecosystem services and human habitat).

Readiness

Readiness seeks to measure the ability of a country to successfully absorb additional private sector investment resources and apply them effectively toward increasing resiliency to climate change and other global challenges. 14 indicators are used to measure three categories of readiness: economic, social and governance.

 

Audience

ND-Gain Index aims to help businesses and the public sector better prioritize investments for a more efficient response to the immediate global challenges ahead.

Managing Organizations

The Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) is part of the Climate Change Adaptation Program of the University of Notre Dame's Environmental Change initiative (ND-ECI). The ND-GAIN Country Index follows a data-driven approach to show which countries are best prepared to deal with global changes brought about by overcrowding, resource-constraints and climate disruption. The Index aims to unlock global adaptation solutions in the corporate and development communities to save lives and improve livelihoods while strengthening market positions.