Flexible Damage Functions

Author

James Rising, Sebastian Cadavid Sanchez, Climate Impact Lab

Published

April 30, 2026

0.1 Mortality: Allcause Country

Flexible damage function parameters at the Country level.

Change in all-cause all-age mortality rate (deaths per 100,000) under full adaptation with adaptation costs

Outcome units: physical — deaths per 100,000 population (population-weighted mean across IRs within each country)

\[D_{it} = (\alpha_i T_t + \beta_i T_t^2) \cdot Y_{it}^{\gamma}\]

where \(\gamma\) is the income elasticity (fitted globally), \(\alpha_i\) is the linear coefficient, and \(\beta_i\) is the quadratic coefficient.


1 Global Estimation

1.1 Income Elasticity Estimation

The income elasticity \(\gamma\) is estimated using a fixed-effects regression:

\[y_{it} = \gamma \cdot \log(Y_{it}) + \mu_{g(i,T)} + \nu_t + \varepsilon_{it}\]

where \(\mu_{g(i,T)}\) are region-by-temperature-bin fixed effects and \(\nu_t\) are year fixed effects.

Table 1: Income Elasticity (Gamma) Estimation Results
Statistic Value
Income elasticity (\(\gamma\)) -0.0002
Standard error 1.83e-05
95% CI [-0.0002, -0.0001]
R-squared 0.8699
Observations 335,160
Regions 245
Gamma quantiles 19

2 Parameter Distributions

2.1 8-Panel Summary

Row 1: gamma, alpha, beta, rsqr1. Row 2: rho, zeta, eta, rsqr2.

Using median gamma: -0.000159, 4,655 rows (of 4,655 total)
Figure 1: Distribution of Regional Parameters

2.2 Projection Equation and Parameter Definitions

The estimated parameters are used to project damages via Monte Carlo sampling:

\[D_{it}^k = (\hat{\alpha}_{ik} T_t + \hat{\beta}_{ik} T_t^2) Y_{it}^{\hat{\gamma}_k} + \hat{\theta}_{ik} T_t Y_{it}^{\hat{\gamma}_k} + \hat{\phi}_{it}^k\]

where \(k\) indexes the Monte Carlo draw. The parameters in each row of the output CSV control distinct components of this equation:

  • gamma: income elasticity \(\hat{\gamma}_k\), one of 19 quantile values drawn from \(N(\hat{\gamma}, SE(\hat{\gamma}))\)
  • alpha, beta: linear and quadratic temperature coefficients; \(\hat{\alpha}_{ik}\) and \(\hat{\beta}_{ik}\) are drawn from the joint normal defined by the VCV below
  • sigma11, sigma12, sigma22: variance-covariance matrix of \((\alpha, \beta)\), used for joint uncertainty sampling
  • rho: correlation between regional and global polynomial residuals \(\rho_i\), used to maintain spatial covariance across regions in Monte Carlo draws
  • zeta: temperature-dependent error scale \(\zeta_{ik}\); the run-specific error term \(\hat{\theta}_{ik}\) is drawn from \(N(0, \zeta_{ik})\)
  • eta: residual noise standard deviation \(\eta_{ik}\); the annual noise \(\hat{\phi}_{it}^k\) is drawn from \(N(0, \eta_{ik})\)
  • rsqr1, rsqr2: polynomial fit quality and error model fit, respectively

2.3 Summary Statistics

Table 2: Regional Parameter Summary
Parameter Mean Median Std Min Max N
alpha -0.0001262 -0.000106 0.0001625 -0.0008538 0.0002472 245
beta 3.456e-05 2.417e-05 3.26e-05 0 0.0001523 245
rho 0.2234 0.3709 0.4648 -0.7527 0.9014 245
zeta 3.682e-05 2.619e-05 3.547e-05 6.264e-06 0.0002268 245
eta 5.76e-05 4.145e-05 5.55e-05 9.889e-06 0.0003083 245
rsqr1 0.627 0.6852 0.2359 0.004795 0.9528 245
rsqr2 0.6173 0.6207 0.06123 0.3939 0.7734 245

3 Spaghetti Curves

Regional damage function curves showing D(T) = αT + βT² for sampled regions.

Figure 2: Regional Damage Functions

4 Zero Crossings

The zero crossing (extremum) of the parabola occurs at \(T^* = -\alpha / (2\beta)\).

Table 3: Zero Crossing Statistics
Category Count Percentage
β = 0 (no crossing) 33 13.5%
T > 20°C (beyond graph) 5 2.0%
T < 0°C (negative crossing) 35 14.3%
Valid crossings (0-20°C) 172 70.2%
Figure 3: Distribution of Zero Crossing Temperatures

5 Slope Analysis

Maximum slope between 0 and 10°C: \(\frac{dM}{dT} = \alpha + 2\beta T\)

The maximum occurs at either T=0 or T=10 (endpoints of interval).

Figure 4: Distribution of Maximum Slopes (0-10°C)

Convexity analysis omitted (beta constraint active).


6 R-squared Analysis

6.1 Polynomial Fit Quality (rsqr1)

Figure 5: Regional Fit Quality (R-squared)

6.2 Error Model R-squared (rsqr2) Quantiles

Table 4: rsqr2 Quantiles
0% (Min) 25% 50% (Median) 75% 100% (Max)
0.3939 0.5802 0.6207 0.6590 0.7734

7 Modelled Variance

Modelled variance statistic: \(1 - \frac{\sum_i \eta_i^2}{\sum_i D_i^2}\)

Table 5: Modelled Variance Statistics
Statistic Value
Modelled variance 0.9745
Sum(η²) 0.0000
Sum(D²) at T=3.0°C 0.0001
N regions 245

8 Best- and Worst-Fitting Regions

The 3 worst- and 3 best-fitting regions by R-squared, with raw simulation data overlaid on the fitted polynomial curve. Red rows = worst fits, green rows = best fits.

Table 6: Best- and worst-fitting regions
Top 3 best fit (R²)   Top 3 worst fit (R²)
Region α β η
USA -3.48e-5 3.01e-5 1.34e-5 0.953
GRC 1.19e-4 4.90e-6 1.73e-5 0.951
JPN 6.64e-5 1.48e-5 1.84e-5 0.949
SHN -1.00e-7 1.52e-6 5.35e-5 0.00479
CHL 3.28e-6 4.08e-6 5.77e-5 0.0421
COM -6.84e-5 1.54e-5 3.69e-5 0.069
Figure 6: Fitted polynomial with raw data for worst-fitting regions

9 Regional Parameter Maps

Maps of key parameters at the country level. Red = negative (damage increases with T), Blue = positive.

9.1 Alpha (Linear Coefficient)

Alpha (\(\alpha\)) represents the linear sensitivity to temperature. Regions with negative alpha experience damage that increases with the first degree of warming.

Figure 7: α (linear coefficient)

9.2 Beta (Quadratic Coefficient)

Beta (\(\beta\)) represents the curvature of the damage function.

The convexity (\(\beta \geq 0\)) constraint is enforced for this sector, meaning damages accelerate with warming (U-shaped response).

Figure 8: β (quadratic coefficient)

9.3 R-squared (Fit Quality)

\(R^2\) measures the polynomial fit quality. Higher values indicate that the quadratic form captures more of the variance in the data.

Figure 9: R² (stage 1 fit quality)

10 F2: Flex vs Raw Comparison

Comparison of flexible damage function predictions against raw simulation means.

For each scenario (RCP × SSP × Model), we compute at the final year:

  • Flex predicted: \((\alpha \cdot T + \beta \cdot T^2) \cdot Y^\gamma\)
  • Raw actual: The outcome variable (y) from the source data

Year 2099: 4,048 rows

Correlation: 0.8112 | RMSE: 0.000205 | Sign agreement: 78.0%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 1.96°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
MOZ -3.79e-5 -3.95e-5 -1.57e-6
SAU 1.26e-4 1.31e-4 4.68e-6
UKR -3.26e-4 -3.19e-4 7.11e-6
KAZ -1.36e-4 -1.28e-4 8.06e-6
HKG -1.28e-4 -1.18e-4 1.03e-5
SJM -0.00211 -0.00124 8.77e-4
NER 2.00e-6 7.57e-4 7.55e-4
BFA 7.90e-6 6.69e-4 6.61e-4
DJI 7.51e-5 7.25e-4 6.50e-4
BDI 1.24e-4 -4.54e-4 -5.79e-4

Correlation: 0.9259 | RMSE: 0.000134 | Sign agreement: 89.8%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 1.96°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
KIR -1.09e-4 -1.10e-4 -9.84e-7
THA -1.04e-4 -1.06e-4 -2.23e-6
LBY 6.39e-5 6.11e-5 -2.76e-6
ABW -2.07e-5 -2.43e-5 -3.65e-6
ISR -1.43e-5 -1.01e-5 4.13e-6
SJM -0.00181 -0.00124 5.72e-4
SOM 9.69e-5 4.83e-4 3.86e-4
ALB 5.05e-4 1.57e-4 -3.49e-4
ALA -0.00106 -7.23e-4 3.36e-4
HRV 3.11e-4 -1.02e-5 -3.21e-4

Correlation: 0.9013 | RMSE: 0.000142 | Sign agreement: 88.6%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 1.96°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
SYC -1.95e-4 -1.94e-4 8.09e-7
MHL -2.26e-4 -2.27e-4 -9.47e-7
TKL -4.40e-5 -4.31e-5 9.71e-7
VGB -1.97e-4 -1.96e-4 1.00e-6
BES -2.37e-4 -2.36e-4 1.02e-6
DJI 6.36e-5 7.25e-4 6.61e-4
NER 1.30e-4 7.57e-4 6.27e-4
BFA 1.19e-4 6.69e-4 5.50e-4
SDN 1.21e-4 6.35e-4 5.14e-4
TCD 1.22e-4 5.50e-4 4.27e-4

Correlation: 0.9628 | RMSE: 0.000106 | Sign agreement: 89.8%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 1.96°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
DMA -2.82e-4 -2.82e-4 -3.72e-7
SMX -1.67e-4 -1.67e-4 5.22e-7
MAF -1.67e-4 -1.67e-4 5.24e-7
TCA -1.75e-4 -1.76e-4 -9.47e-7
GMB 1.19e-4 1.17e-4 -1.02e-6
BIH 6.65e-5 -2.83e-4 -3.50e-4
SDN 3.19e-4 6.35e-4 3.17e-4
SOM 1.97e-4 4.83e-4 2.86e-4
FIN -9.48e-4 -0.00123 -2.85e-4
MKD 1.54e-4 -1.21e-4 -2.75e-4

Correlation: 0.9268 | RMSE: 0.000154 | Sign agreement: 91.4%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 1.96°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
PRT 1.42e-4 1.43e-4 1.73e-6
GIN -1.94e-5 -1.77e-5 1.75e-6
CHN 1.45e-4 1.47e-4 2.05e-6
ISR -8.02e-6 -1.01e-5 -2.10e-6
AUS 6.04e-5 6.36e-5 3.18e-6
SJM -6.01e-4 -0.00124 -6.34e-4
GRL -5.62e-4 -0.00111 -5.45e-4
DJI 2.11e-4 7.25e-4 5.14e-4
MNG -2.52e-4 -7.19e-4 -4.67e-4
LVA -2.76e-4 -7.10e-4 -4.34e-4

Correlation: 0.8947 | RMSE: 0.000170 | Sign agreement: 88.6%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 1.96°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
UGA -1.35e-4 -1.35e-4 5.62e-7
BWA -6.12e-5 -6.06e-5 5.92e-7
PCN -7.67e-5 -7.59e-5 7.13e-7
ECU -1.08e-4 -1.09e-4 -1.14e-6
WSM -9.58e-5 -9.77e-5 -1.88e-6
SJM -5.35e-4 -0.00124 -7.00e-4
BFA 0.00135 6.70e-4 -6.85e-4
MLI 0.00118 4.96e-4 -6.83e-4
TCD 0.0012 5.50e-4 -6.50e-4
NER 0.00134 7.58e-4 -5.87e-4

Correlation: 0.9421 | RMSE: 0.000112 | Sign agreement: 91.8%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 1.96°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
BES -2.35e-4 -2.36e-4 -4.35e-7
SWZ -1.32e-4 -1.32e-4 -5.67e-7
SYC -1.93e-4 -1.94e-4 -7.54e-7
GUY 2.47e-5 2.37e-5 -1.03e-6
USA 4.84e-5 4.71e-5 -1.34e-6
MMR 8.58e-4 8.49e-5 -7.73e-4
SOM 0.00125 4.83e-4 -7.71e-4
DJI 1.84e-4 7.25e-4 5.42e-4
SDN 9.56e-4 6.36e-4 -3.21e-4
MLI 8.05e-4 4.96e-4 -3.09e-4

Correlation: 0.9619 | RMSE: 0.000108 | Sign agreement: 89.0%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 1.96°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
AIA -1.83e-4 -1.83e-4 5.31e-7
ESH -1.17e-4 -1.16e-4 9.66e-7
SMX -1.65e-4 -1.67e-4 -1.77e-6
MAF -1.65e-4 -1.67e-4 -1.79e-6
VEN -2.20e-4 -2.18e-4 1.93e-6
MMR 9.45e-4 8.49e-5 -8.60e-4
BFA 0.00107 6.70e-4 -4.01e-4
MLI 8.17e-4 4.96e-4 -3.22e-4
SJM -9.24e-4 -0.00124 -3.11e-4
GRL -8.26e-4 -0.00111 -2.81e-4

No data for this scenario.

No data for this scenario.

No data for this scenario.

No data for this scenario.

Correlation: 0.9192 | RMSE: 0.000321 | Sign agreement: 92.2%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 4.20°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
CUW 4.18e-4 4.16e-4 -2.09e-6
PRT 3.05e-4 3.08e-4 2.47e-6
SJM -0.00265 -0.00265 -4.63e-6
USA 3.79e-4 3.85e-4 6.56e-6
GAB -4.16e-4 -4.23e-4 -6.65e-6
BFA 0.001 0.00263 0.00163
NER 0.0011 0.00249 0.00139
TGO 5.98e-4 0.00191 0.00131
DJI 8.49e-4 0.00216 0.00131
TCD 8.88e-4 0.0021 0.00122

Correlation: 0.9735 | RMSE: 0.000177 | Sign agreement: 96.3%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 4.20°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
BHS -6.24e-4 -6.24e-4 -1.29e-7
NZL 2.81e-4 2.81e-4 2.07e-7
TON -4.01e-4 -4.02e-4 -3.94e-7
ARG 3.42e-5 3.36e-5 -5.69e-7
DOM -4.90e-4 -4.91e-4 -7.99e-7
SOM 9.67e-4 0.00183 8.65e-4
MMR 4.54e-4 0.00125 7.96e-4
TGO 0.00269 0.00191 -7.81e-4
BFA 0.00341 0.00263 -7.75e-4
DJI 0.00293 0.00216 -7.72e-4

Correlation: 0.9395 | RMSE: 0.000294 | Sign agreement: 91.0%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 4.20°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
PSE 2.44e-4 2.41e-4 -3.05e-6
VAT 5.37e-4 5.40e-4 3.35e-6
LAO 3.00e-4 3.04e-4 4.07e-6
NFK -1.12e-4 -1.07e-4 5.14e-6
ARG 4.01e-5 3.36e-5 -6.48e-6
SOM 0.00352 0.00183 -0.00169
IRQ 0.00413 0.00246 -0.00167
SJM -0.00133 -0.00265 -0.00133
GRL -0.0013 -0.00238 -0.00108
DJI 0.00122 0.00216 9.39e-4

Correlation: 0.8861 | RMSE: 0.000657 | Sign agreement: 90.6%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 4.20°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
ARG 3.30e-5 3.36e-5 6.18e-7
KEN -2.09e-4 -2.10e-4 -8.98e-7
BIH 3.24e-4 3.27e-4 3.31e-6
MCO 5.05e-4 5.08e-4 3.43e-6
NLD 3.90e-4 3.94e-4 4.07e-6
BFA 0.00579 0.00263 -0.00316
DJI 0.00526 0.00216 -0.0031
TCD 0.00498 0.00211 -0.00287
NER 0.00528 0.00249 -0.00279
MLI 0.00522 0.0025 -0.00272

Correlation: 0.9263 | RMSE: 0.000364 | Sign agreement: 92.7%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 4.20°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
CXR -3.51e-4 -3.50e-4 1.59e-6
BLM -6.01e-4 -6.04e-4 -2.59e-6
REU -2.40e-4 -2.37e-4 2.59e-6
PCN -1.60e-4 -1.63e-4 -2.70e-6
TUV -2.50e-4 -2.53e-4 -2.76e-6
SOM 0.00471 0.00183 -0.00288
MMR 0.00399 0.00125 -0.00274
SDN 0.00429 0.00239 -0.0019
MLI 0.00376 0.0025 -0.00126
ERI 0.00175 6.11e-4 -0.00114

Correlation: 0.9458 | RMSE: 0.000480 | Sign agreement: 90.2%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 4.20°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
KEN -2.10e-4 -2.10e-4 -6.03e-8
ARG 3.35e-5 3.36e-5 1.19e-7
ASM -5.72e-4 -5.69e-4 3.09e-6
MDG -3.94e-4 -3.97e-4 -3.40e-6
MDA 1.70e-4 1.64e-4 -5.46e-6
MMR 0.00395 0.00125 -0.0027
KWT 0.00377 0.00155 -0.00222
BFA 0.00471 0.00263 -0.00208
BGD 0.00287 0.00111 -0.00176
DJI 0.00377 0.00216 -0.00162

Correlation: 0.8105 | RMSE: 0.000458 | Sign agreement: 88.6%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 4.20°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
CYP 2.70e-4 2.68e-4 -1.50e-6
MAR 3.19e-4 3.17e-4 -2.30e-6
USA 3.91e-4 3.85e-4 -5.86e-6
COL -1.85e-4 -1.92e-4 -6.85e-6
LBN 3.32e-4 3.23e-4 -8.33e-6
SJM -0.00483 -0.00265 0.00218
BFA 6.52e-4 0.00263 0.00198
NER 5.35e-4 0.00249 0.00195
SDN 6.62e-4 0.00239 0.00173
MLI 8.12e-4 0.0025 0.00169

Correlation: 0.9036 | RMSE: 0.000353 | Sign agreement: 92.7%

Top 5 best predicted   Top 5 worst predicted
Year 2099 · Tmean across these regions: 4.20°C
Region Raw Flex Residual
AUS 1.35e-4 1.37e-4 1.93e-6
GIB 1.50e-4 1.46e-4 -4.51e-6
MDV -6.66e-4 -6.61e-4 4.78e-6
AND -0.00122 -0.00122 4.92e-6
ISR 7.48e-6 1.27e-5 5.21e-6
SJM -0.00425 -0.00265 0.0016
SOM 3.13e-4 0.00183 0.00152
SDN 9.86e-4 0.00239 0.00141
NER 0.00109 0.00249 0.0014
MLI 0.00126 0.0025 0.00124

10.1 Scenario Summary

Table 7: Fit statistics across all 12 scenarios
RCP SSP Model N Corr RMSE Sign%
rcp45 SSP1 high 245 0.8112 0.000205 78.0%
rcp45 SSP1 low 245 0.9259 0.000134 89.8%
rcp45 SSP2 high 245 0.9013 0.000142 88.6%
rcp45 SSP2 low 245 0.9628 0.000106 89.8%
rcp45 SSP3 high 245 0.9268 0.000154 91.4%
rcp45 SSP3 low 245 0.8947 0.00017 88.6%
rcp45 SSP4 high 245 0.9421 0.000112 91.8%
rcp45 SSP4 low 245 0.9619 0.000108 89.0%
rcp85 SSP2 high 245 0.9192 0.000321 92.2%
rcp85 SSP2 low 245 0.9735 0.000177 96.3%
rcp85 SSP3 high 245 0.9395 0.000294 91.0%
rcp85 SSP3 low 245 0.8861 0.000657 90.6%
rcp85 SSP4 high 245 0.9263 0.000364 92.7%
rcp85 SSP4 low 245 0.9458 0.00048 90.2%
rcp85 SSP5 high 245 0.8105 0.000458 88.6%
rcp85 SSP5 low 245 0.9036 0.000353 92.7%

11 Data Reference

11.1 File Locations

Item Path
Regional CSV /project/cil/gcp/flex_damage_funcs/parameters/mortality__allcause_country__regional_parameters.csv
Global JSON /project/cil/gcp/flex_damage_funcs/parameters/mortality__allcause_country__global_results.json
Metadata JSON /project/cil/gcp/flex_damage_funcs/parameters/mortality__allcause_country__metadata.json

11.2 Column Definitions

Column Description
region Region identifier (hierarchical code, first 3 chars = country ISO3)
gamma Income elasticity quantile value
alpha Linear temperature coefficient
beta Quadratic temperature coefficient
sigma11 Var(alpha)
sigma12 Cov(alpha, beta)
sigma22 Var(beta)
rho Correlation with global residual process
zeta Temperature-dependent heteroskedasticity
eta Residual standard deviation
rsqr1 R-squared of polynomial fit
rsqr2 R-squared of error model

Report generated with FlexDamage v1.0.0