Impact of Climate Change on Project Management

Abstract

Climate change has recently evolved as one of the most serious challenges facing organizations and project-based work today. In the last decade, it has added growing uncertainty. In that context, projects are especially at risk from climate change because they function in an environment where many factors and conditions are predictable. Knowledge is increasing about such phenomena; however, it remains fragmented at this point about how such phenomena are likely related to project management techniques and processes.

Therefore, this thesis report attempts to investigate how exactly climate change might influence different processes in project management and their specific decision-making criteria based on the results shown in the present literature. The study joins theories of project management, tolerance of climate change theory, and views on longevity. Hence, research design is accomplished based on a systematic literature review using qualitative methods. Particularly, a thematic analysis of peer-reviewed journal articles and respected institutional reports was carried out to identify risks that climate poses to projectrelated activity, implicational impacts on project management processes and strategies of adaptation, and, finally, to define gaps to be redressed in future research.

In conclusion, climate change significantly impacts project scheduling, budgets, resource location, quality and safety management, and governance. The literature also suggests ways in which adaptation and resilience strategies can be located, be they at the level of the project, organization, or at the level of strategy. Some gaps are in the realm of conceptual integration, others in the empirical evidence and practical implementation.