This chapter explores impact assessments (IAs) used for designating Marine Conservation Zones. It starts with an introduction to IAs, leading to a theoretical discussion of cost-benefit analysis as a tool for rationalising regulation. It follows with a critical review of IAs produced by the regional stakeholder groups using umbrella questions derived from the theoretical analysis and then it asks if and how the formal IAs produced by the government for the designation of the three tranches of Marine Conservation Zones constitute an improvement compared to the regional stakeholder groups’ IAs before offering concluding remarks. Throughout the chapter, connections with the concept of commoning are made arguing that IAs for MCZs, by employing economic language in decision-making and focusing on industry costs over benefits, favour the voices of a few over collective ones, highlight interests at the expenses of values and undermine the potential for ethical consideration to play a role in assessment, thereby failing to encourage a shared ethics of care and responsibility towards the marine environment, hence not favouring commoning practices.

To what extent does bias correction and downscaling increase the value of GCM outputs for regional-scale applications?This chapter provides an overview of the concept of added value for downscaling studies and discusses the methods and metrics used for evaluating the value that bias correction and downscaling, using an RCM and/or an ESDM, adds to climate projections for impact assessments

Climate change is a broad-reaching, global challenge. It impacts most human and natural systems, from agriculture and ecosystems to energy and health, and exacerbates other preexisting issues, from poverty to political instability. Evaluating these impacts and our vulnerability to them increases awareness of the need for adaptation and resilience. This chapter provides a brief history of impact assessments, focusing on the models, tools, and information that is needed and is available to quantify future impacts across a wide range of systems and scales and to provide valuable input to adaptation and resilience planning