When national and local economies are faced with calculating potential climate-impacted losses, decision-makers face difficult financial-planning decisions.

Nature Climate Change published a study comparing adaptation responses between global megacities based on spending measures. The study found that cities varied their adaptation spendings between £15 million and £1600 million. Developed cities allocate most of their adaptation funds to energy and water, developing countries to health and agriculture.

Overall, the study concluded developing cities’ wealth, and not the amount of vulnerable individuals, drive adaptation spending. Thus, “current adaptation activities are insufficient in major population centers in developing and emerging economies.”