Adaptation in the UNFCCC Process United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Olga Pilifosova, UNFCCC Secretariat An International Workshop on Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change: From Practice to Policy New Delhi May 11-12, 2006

Outline Adaptation in the UNFCCC and KP Adaptation- evolving focus Montreal and beyond –Developing technical advice – SBSTA 5 year programme of work –Advancing funding arrangements –Other Emerging issues

Adaptation in the UNFCCC and KP Ultimate objective The ultimate objective of this Convention …is to achieve … stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Such a level should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner. –Article 2

Adaptation in the UNFCCC and KP cont. Measures to facilitate adaptation All Parties shall Formulate, implement, publish and regularly update national and, where appropriate, regional programmes containing … measures to facilitate adequate adaptation to climate change –Article 4.1(b) UNFCCC –Article 10(b) KP

Adaptation in the UNFCCC and KP cont. Cooperative adaptation All Parties shall Cooperate in preparing for adaptation to the impacts of climate change; develop and elaborate appropriate and integrated plans for coastal zone management, water resources and agriculture, and for the protection and rehabilitation of areas, particularly in Africa, affected by drought and desertification, as well as floods. –Article 4.1 (e) UNFCCC

Adaptation in the UNFCCC and KP cont. Assistance The developed country Parties … shall also assist the developing country Parties that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change in meeting costs of adaptation to those adverse effects. –Article 4.4 UNFCCC Conference of Parties ensure share of proceeds from certified project activities used …to assist developing country Parties that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change to meet the costs of adaptation. –Article 12.8 KP

Adaptation in the UNFCCC and KP cont. Specific needs and concerns small islands and low-lying coastal areas arid and semi-arid areas, forested areas and areas liable to forest decay areas prone to natural disasters areas liable to drought and desertification areas of high urban atmospheric pollution areas with fragile ecosystems, including mountainous ecosystems land-locked and transit countries –Article 4.8 UNFCCC

Adaptation in the UNFCCC and KP cont. Least developed countries The Parties shall take full account of the specific needs and special situations of the least developed countries in their actions with regard to funding and transfer of technology. –Article 4.9 UNFCCC

Adaptation- evolving focus Identifying impacts IPCC FAR, SAR: Climate change detected. Two questions: (1) what are the impacts of climate change, how dangerous they are? (2) how to adapt to climate change? UNFCCC/COP1: identified 3 stages of adaptation Up to 2000 Focus on stage I and II addressing studies of possible impacts of climate change, to identify particularly vulnerable countries or regions and policy options for adaptation and appropriate capacity building

Adaptation- evolving focus cont. Identifying impacts and Preparing for adaptation 2001: –IPCC TAR: adaptation in the context of SD and equity –COP 7 Marrakech accords: 3 new funds Decision 5/CP7 identifies 18 areas of assistance on adaptation Process of development NAPAs in LDCs 2002: Delhi Ministerial Declaration 2003: SBSTA work on scientific, technical and socio-economic aspects on adaptation 2004: Decision 1/CP.10 Buenos Aires Programme of Work on Adaptation and Response Measures

Montreal and beyond 2005 –SBSTA five-year programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change –Advancing funding arrangements –Technologies for adaptation 2006 –5 year programme of work: from negotiations to implementation

Developing technical advice: SBSTA 5 year programme of work on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation – 2/CP.11 Objective –to assist all Parties… to improve their understanding and assessment of impacts, vulnerability and adaptation, and to make informed decisions on practical adaptation actions Expected outcomes –Enhanced capacity, cooperation and integration at the international, regional, national, sectoral and local levels, targeting Parties, relevant organizations, business, civil society, and decision makers –Improved information and advice to COP Scope –2 themes: impacts and vulnerability, adaptation planning meassures and actions –10 action oriented sub-themes –Cross-cutting aspects: and methods and integration to SD List of modalities Process for implementation –Start immediately with implementation of initial activities defined by SBSTA23 –Review the Programme at SBSTA28 (June 2008) based on their results and IPCC AR4 –Involve relevant organizations and stakeholders

Developing technical advice : SBSTA 5 year programme of work on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation – SBSTA23 Draft indicative list of specific activities: 24 activities, modalities, timing and possible partners Requested to organize informal meeting of the representatives of Parties to further develop the indicative list – Vienna, March Agreed to consider the outcome of this meeting at its twenty-fourth session, with a view to identifying the activities starting as of 2006 Requested the secretariat to develop an initial list of organizations active in areas relevant to the programme of work

SBSTA 5 year programme of work on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation: Vienna meeting Developed a streamlined list of initial activities which: –Strike a balance between the continuation and enhancement of ongoing activities and new activities –Maximize involvement of stakeholders and organizations –Take into account the need to target a range of audiences (not only SBSTA itself) –Take into account practical constraints (time, availability of human and financial resources)

SBSTA 5 year programme of work on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation: Vienna meeting 9 Initial activities Data and observations: builds on work on systematic observations focusing on target audience and IVA needs Methods and tools : extends the work on methods and tools Climate modeling and downscaling: promotes applications, applicability, availability Climate related risks and extreme events: promotes understanding of climate variability and CC risks and adaptation to theseClimate related risks and extreme events: promotes understanding of climate variability and CC risks and adaptation to these Socio-economic information: availability and applicability for data for vulnerability assessmentsSocio-economic information: availability and applicability for data for vulnerability assessments Adaptation planning and practices: draws upon work of practitioners and experts, includes sharing of knowledge and information between stakeholders, brining different communities togetherAdaptation planning and practices: draws upon work of practitioners and experts, includes sharing of knowledge and information between stakeholders, brining different communities together Economic diversification: considers increasing economic resilience on vulnerable economic sectorsEconomic diversification: considers increasing economic resilience on vulnerable economic sectors Research: builds on SBSTA work on research Technologies for adaptation: builds on work of the EGTT

Next steps, SBSTA24 Completing negotiations and start implementation i,.e. agree on modalities (expert group(s) -?), timing, target audience, partners, deliverables, role of the SBSTA… THE CHALLENGE: High expectations for delivery SBSTA needs to make a strategic choice and plan useful initial activities to maintain the momentum from Buenos Aires and Montreal

Advancing funding: Adaptation Fund 28/CMP.1 adopted initial guidance to the AF: –To fund concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing country Parties that are Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, and activities identified in decision 5/CP.7 –The operation to be guided by a country-driven and learning-by- doing approach, sound financial management and transparency, and separation from other funding sources One year process to identify: –Specific policies, programme priorities and eligibility criteria –How the AF will be managed (GEF or not GEF) –Workshop to exchange views on further guidance – Canada, May 2006 Expectations for SB24: –Draft decision for COP/MOP2 - Cross-linked with review of FM and MOU with GEF under Kyoto Protocol

Advancing funding: LDC Fund COP/MOP (3/CP.11) gave further guidance on operation of LDC Fund: –provision of full-cost funding for adaptation increment as identified and prioritized in the NAPAs, –request to GEF to develop a co-financing scale and flexible modalities COP/MOP (4/CP.11) requested the LEG to develop work programme which includes the implementation of national adaptation programmes Meeting between LDCs and GEF held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from 6 to 8 April 2006 Funds are currently available through the LDC fund to start implementation of specific projects. Several NAPAs developed. Several projects are identified.

Other developments Regional workshops under 1/CP.10 to reflect regional priorities. First workshop – Latin American regional workshop in Lima, April Technologies for adaptation –EGTT considered a technical paper on applications of environmentally sound technologies for adaptation to climate change in 2005 and in Brussels, March 2006 –Special side event of the EGTT on technologies for adaptation will be held at SBSTA25 On-hand V&A regional trainings for AI NCs

Emerging issues How to promote international cooperation on adaptation? –International partnership on adaptation? How the international political process can promote actions on the ground? –UNFCCC/SBSTA work/deliverables target not only (or not at all) negotiators but to practitioners (e.g. relevant national and sectoral institutions /organizations, projects,planners, development assistance, etc.) –Bring together sectoral communities (water, agriculture, DRR, etc.) to discuss additional CC risks and possible adaptations in specific sectors –Encourage incorporation of CC adaptation into national planning –Promote bottom-up approaches under NCs, TT, etc. work –More close work with IAs? How ground experiences can contribute to the international policy? Mainstreaming (attribution): how to help to adapt to CLIMATE CHANGE without duplicating work of development agencies? OTHER???

Thank You! United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change