1. Nairobi Work Programme on Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change Budapest, Hungary November, 2007
Paul V. Desanker, UNFCCC secretariat
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 26 February 2007

2. Content Nairobi work programme in a broader UNFCCC context
Objectives, scope and expected outcomes
Distinctive features of NWP
Approach to implementation
Way forward
The purpose of my my presentaiton is some more information about the Nairobi workprogramme under which this workshop is taking place.
And this is what my talk will cover: what is the place of the NWP in the UNFCCC works on I,v, a issues, its objects and general otcome and scope, what makes it different
Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 26 February 2007

3. Adaptation dimensions under the UNFCCC
Resources
SBI: 1/CP.10, FM,
KP: AF
Knowledge
SBSTA:
Nairobi work
Programme
2/CP.11, SBSTA25
(SBSTA 5 year programme
of work)
Capacity
SBI&SBSTA
And I would like to start with this very general schematic graph. Broadly speaking, for adaptation three major dimensions are needed:
Resources
Knowledge /information or technical basis
Capacity broadly – and this would include human, institutional, legal,
All three are equally important – only one can not do the job. The three are not separated. Under UNFCCC process Resources and related capacities are addressed by the wotk of SBI, and some aspects of KP
Technical basis/knowledge by the work of SBSTA, specifically under the comprehensive Nairobi workprogramme, and capacity – is a cross cutting theme mostly belong to SBI and some aspects at the SBSTA
Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 26 February 2007

4. Objective of the NWP
Assist all Parties, in particular developing countries, including LDCs and SIDS
to improve their understanding and assessment of impacts, vulnerability and adaptation
to make informed decisions on practical adaptation actions
Objective of the workprogamme is two fold:
Assist all Parties, in particular developing countries, including LDCs and SIDS
to improve their understanding and assessment of impacts, vulnerability and adaptation
to make informed decisions on practical adaptation actions
Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 26 February 2007

5. Expected outcomes of the NWP
Enhanced capacity for V&A assessment
Enhanced development, dissemination and use of knowledge from practical adaptation activities
Improved information and advice to COP and SBs
Enhanced cooperation among Parties, relevant organizations, business, civil society, and decision makers
Enhanced integration of actions to adapt to climate change with sustainable development
Ambitious outcomes are expected, including
Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 26 February 2007

6. Initial activities in 9 focus areas
Data and observations
Methods and tools
Climate modelling, scenarios and downscaling
Socio-economic information
Research
Climate related risks and extreme events
Adaptation planning and practices
Technologies for adaptation
Economic diversification
The work on the workprogramme is organised in nine focus
-Data and observations: building on work on systematic observations focusing on target audience and IVA needs
-Methods and tools : extending the work on methods and tools
-Climate modeling and downscaling: promoting enhanced applicability and availability
-Climate related risks and extreme events: promoting analysis, interpretation and prediction of their occurrence to enhance capacities to deal with them.
-Socio-economic information: ensuring better integration of socio economic information in vulnerability assessments.
-Adaptation planning and practices: drawing upon past and current adaptation practices to facilitate exchange of experiences and cooperation among and between Parties and other relevant stakeholders.
Research: building upon SBSTA work on research and linking it with adaptation
Technologies for adaptation: building upon work of the EGTT and Parties’ experiences (NCs, NAPAs)
Economic diversification: assisting countries in increasing resilience of vulnerable economic sectors
Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 26 February 2007

7. Distinctive features of the Nairobi work programme
Implementation “outside” the SBSTA negotiations with regular reports to the SBSTA and review in and 2010
Addressing all parties while recognising most vulnerable
Building upon previous UNFCCC activities on adaptation
Specific mandated activities (workshops, papers) are the tools rather than the end-products of NWP
Involving both Parties and a broad range of stakeholders (organisations, UNFCCC constituted bodies, business, civil society, practitioners)
Wide distributing of NWP deliverables
Involving a broad range of stakeholders
Since the Nairobi work programme is a product of the SBSTA, all its activities will be of a scientific and technical advisory nature but practical in identifying barriers to adaptation, and ways to overcome them, through actions by all relevant stakeholders.
In other words, implementation of activities on adaptation undertaken on different levels should be catalysed, triggered or facilitated by the Nairobi work programme.
Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 26 February 2007

8. Approach to NWP implementation
Mandated SBSTA activities:
Submissions from Parties and organizations
Workshops, expert meetings
UNFCCC Documents and web-based interface and databases
Furthering the reach of mandated activities:
Mini-expert meetings
Tailored dissemination of NWP products, tools, warehousing
Catalysing innovative actions by Parties and organisations
The challenge in implementation of Nairobi work programme is that the activities of the NWP are all catalyzed at an international level and these objectives need national level entry points in order for them to make a difference. By already reaching to the climate change focal points in the countries we are, to some extent, addressing the national level. However, this is not enough, since it entails preaching to the converted. The real challenge is to get the messages beyond the environment context through our products and agreed plans for actions.
 The secretariat vision is for a three-part continuum in our deliverables in order to achieve as much progress as possible towards the objectives:
1. The "mandated" activities, including organizing workshops, producing reports with the UNFCCC label, and producing the web-based interface;
2. Furthering the reach of the mandated activities, including generating expanded ownership through our "mini expert meetings", creating reader-friendly versions of our products, and disseminating these outcomes as widely as possible and beyond what is usually expected.
3. Catalyzing new and innovative action in Parties and organizations through a number of actions, that include:
Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 26 February 2007

9. Catalysing actions by Parties and organisations
Involving organisations in the implementation of NWP: 80 organisations are engaged, submitted concept papers as input towards the NWP implementation
Introducing the idea of action pleases
Synergizing action among more than one partner, and ultimately ensuring their relevance to the national level
Using workshops and other Nairobi work programme activities to create plans of actions that involve multiple stakeholders and Parties to address commonly identified barriers to adaptation
·        Informing organizations and inviting them to participate in the NWP. The UNFCCC invited 150 organizations, based on a list provided by Parties, to take part in the Nairobi work programme. Around 80 organizations have expressed their willingness to take part and have nominated focal points with whom we can communicate;
·        Introducing the idea of action pledges that can provide an avenue for organizations to publicize their involvement in the work programme, by offering to carry out specific activities towards the objectives and expected outcomes of the work programme;
·        Synergizing action among more than one partner, and ultimately ensuring their relevance to the national level. Using workshops and other Nairobi work programme activities to create plans of actions that involve multiple stakeholders and Parties to address commonly identified barriers to adaptation
Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 26 February 2007

10. Concluding remarks
Over the next few years a package of adaptation activities under the UNFCCC that should emerge in response to the need to enhance adaptation on the ground and based on work under SBI and outcome of the regional adaptation workshops under 1/CP.10 as well as consideration of financial flow and support for adaptation, to which the Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation can constitute a valuable contribution
Over the next few years a package of adaptation activities under the UNFCCC that  should emerge in response to the need  to enhance adaptation on the ground ,  and based on work under SBI and outcome of the regional adaptation workshops under 1/CP.10 to which the Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation can constitute a valuable contribution."
Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 26 February 2007

11. Thank you pdesanker@unfccc.int
I wish you very productive work
Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 26 February 2007