Comparatively, less attention has been paid to low-regret options, especially at the national and local levels. Conservation agriculture and integrated production systems, early-warning systems, restoration of wetlands, and zoning are postulated to have lower investment and lock- in costs than engineering-based options . However, they require regular maintenance and high technical and human capacity, which are likely to vary by scale, location, and context . Global studies suggest improvements in returns on adaptation investments by delivering better services and reducing water wastage through appropriate water pricing and regulations . For example, under scenarios SSP1 and SSP3, water pricing and regulation are projected to reverse losses in expected 2050 global GDP of 0.49% to gains of 0.09%. GDP losses are projected to drastically reduce in the Middle East, eliminated in the Sahel and Central Africa, and reversed into gains in Central Asia and East Africa, with benefits concentrated in worst-affected regions . More local and national studies are needed to identify low regret options and their benefits and
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report