The mission of the United Nations Environment Programme is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

Overall objective

The objective of the planned Global Climate Change Adaptation Network is to enhance key capacity for adaptation in a synergic and coherent manner, to meet the increasing needs (both immediate and long-term) of developing countries for adaptation data, knowledge, technology and policy support.

Concept paper on the development of a Global Climate Change Adaptation Network (145 kB)

Project purpose

The Network will help meet the increasing demands for global climate change adaptation efforts with the growing supplies of world’s best knowledge and technology, through mobilizing resources and expertise of existing ground facilities, regional institutions and scientific and expert networks.  The Network will have a strong focus on supporting the implementation of the Nairobi work programme (NWP), supporting work under each of its 9 areas of work, as well as the integration of these areas. It responds to both of the NWP objectives, i.e. to assist countries to improve their understanding and assessment of climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation, and to make informed decisions on practical adaptation actions and measures to respond to climate change.

Activities

UNEP, in partnership with UN and other organizations such as CGIAR, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Columbia University (IRI), IGES, IIED, ILTER, IUCN, Keio University, Korea Environment Institute, National Institute of Environmental Research (Korea), SEI, UNDP, UNFCCC, UNITAR, WMO, WWF and others is developing a Global Climate Change Adaptation Network which will consist of a series of selected ground facilities, regional centers and an international support group of technical institutions, building upon existing networks of facilities and centers.

The first phase of Network development (2008–2009) will start to deliver services to address the pressing concerns on adaptation through the initiation and enhancement of pilot regional networks, building on the track-record and competency of the selected facilities and centers. At the same time, an overall Implementation Plan for the Network will be developed through consultations with governments, organizations and donors.  The aim is to reach a consensus on the framework of the Network development and management, including the Network structure, functions, work mechanisms and financing strategy.

Expected results

The Global Climate Change Adaptation Network will compose of three key components:  a network of selected ground facilities, a network of regional centers and an international technical support group.  Each Network component will play their unique role at their respective scales and will serve different user groups, but will at the same time be interlinked and mutually supportive to the other Network components.

The network of ground facilities will help build adaptive capacity of local communities and support decision-making at various levels of governance. The network of regional centers will help to strengthen regional cooperation, improve the availability and coordination of data and information at regional level and provide technical support to policy-setting and planning at national level.  The international technical support group will help build capacity of the Network components in developing countries and respond to the needs of global or interregional adaptation initiatives.

UNEP provided updated information on their activities as a contribution to the Nairobi work programme publication "Action Pledges: Making a difference on the ground. A synthesis of the outcomes, good practices, lessons learned, and future challenges and opportunities".  The information can be found in Chapter 8 "Promoting knowledge sharing and learning"