Average Annual Loss (AAL) is the financial loss an asset or portfolio can expect from climate hazards in a typical year, averaged across the full range of event probabilities.
You're a portfolio manager comparing two warehouses with identical rents. One carries an AAL of €120k, the other €15k — the gap tells you how to price the difference into rent, capex, and the acquisition offer.
Without a single expected-loss figure, climate risk can't enter a model or a budget. AAL is the number underwriters and investors plan against. EarthScan calculates AAL per asset from damage curves, return periods, and asset attributes.
AAL is the loss in a typical year; CVaR captures the severe tail — the rare, large loss.
