Enhanced action on adaptation under the Bali Action Plan

The Bali Action Plan, adopted at COP 13 in Bali, December 2007, identifies adaptation as one of the key building blocks required for a strengthened future response to climate change to enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention through long-term cooperative action, now, up to and beyond 2012.

Most recently in Copenhagen, Parties decided to extend the mandate of the AWG-LCA and requested it to present the outcome of its work to COP 16 in Mexico.  In addition, the COP took note of the Copenhagen Accord, in which Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers and other heads of delegations stress the need to establish a comprehensive adaptation programme.  The signatories agree that enhanced action and international cooperation on adaptation is urgently required and that developed countries shall provide adequate, predictable and sustainable financial resources, technology and capacity-building to support the implementation of adaptation action in developing countries.  Funding for adaptation will be prioritized for the most vulnerable developing countries, such as the LDCs, SIDS and Africa.  

The AWG-LCA will continue its work drawing on its report to COP 15 (report related to adaptation is included in document FCCC/AWGLCA/2009/L.7/Add.1) and work undertaken by the COP on the basis of that report (the latest text on adaptation as of December 18 will be published shortly).

Nairobi work programme on impacts vulnerability and adaptation to climate change
  -  Understanding vulnerability, fostering adaptation

The objective of the Nairobi work programme (2005-2010) is to help all countries improve their understanding and assessment of the impacts of climate change and to make informed decisions on practical adaptation actions and measures.  

Implementing adaptation

Decisions on implementing adaptation include Decision 5/CP.7, 2001, implementation of Article 4.8 and 4.9 of the Convention and Decision 1/CP.10, 2004, the Buenos Aires programme of work on adaptation and response measures, to assist in implementing Article 4 of the Convention.  Responding to a request from Parties, an interface on adaptation funding was developed to assist the implementation of Decision 1/CP.10 and provide information on options available for funding adaptation worldwide.

National Adaptation Programmes of Action

The National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) provide an important way to prioritise urgent and immediate adaptation needs for Least Developed Countries (Article 4.9).  The NAPAs draw on existing information and community-level input.  A database of all NAPA priority adaptation projects sorted by country and sector is available online at the UNFCCC Least Developed Countries (LDC) portal.

Local coping strategies database

Community-based adaptation can greatly benefit from knowledge of local coping strategies. The secretariat has developed a local coping strategies database to facilitate the transfer of long-standing coping strategies and knowledge from communities which have adapted to specific hazards or climatic conditions, to communities which may just be starting to experience such conditions as a result of climate change.

Support for Adaptation

Developing countries require international assistance to support adaptation (Articles 4.4, 4.8 and 4.9). This includes funding, technology transfer and capacity building.

Funding for adaptation is provided through the financial mechanism of the Convention, currently operated by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Adaptation Fund Board (AFB).  Funding opportunities include:

• the GEF Trust Fund, including support for vulnerability and adaptation assessments as part of national communications;
• the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) under the Convention;
• the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) under the Convention;
• The Adaptation Fund (AF) under the Kyoto Protocol and managed by the AFB.