Introduction
The Nairobi Work Programme (NWP), UNFCCC knowledge-to-action hub on adaptation and resilience and its partners help support countries in meeting their adaptation priorities, including formulating and implementing National Adaptation Plans.
The NWP’s 14th Focal Point Forum will focus on biodiversity and climate change adaptation. This event will be organized in collaboration with the NWP thematic expert groups on oceans, and biodiversity and adaptation (with focus on forests and grasslands).
Objective
The NWP 14th Focal Point forum contributes to success at COP26 by enhancing adaptation ambition, finance and implementation through:
- Sharing knowledge, perspectives and technical insights about innovative and integrated solutions, including ecosystem-based approaches, integrating biodiversity into national adaptation planning and building climate resilience of countries in support of the Paris Agreement, with a focus on: 1) oceans, coastal areas and ecosystems; and 2) forests and grasslands;
- Creating synergies by aligning the work of the collaborative actions under the NWP with national priorities (e.g. National Adaptation Plans, Nationally Determined Contributions), UNFCCC constituted bodies and other global agreements such as the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and processes, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development;
- Catalyzing new partnerships among national experts, UNFCCC national focal points, in particular those representing developing countries, and NWP partners to address urgent national priorities and close adaptation knowledge gaps in biodiversity and climate change adaptation.
The event will provide an interactive space for dialogue and knowledge-sharing among Parties, UNFCCC national focal points, NWP thematic expert groups and partners, UNFCCC constituted bodies, and the secretariats of the Convention of Biological Diversity and of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification secretariat.
Background
The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) mandated the NWP to prioritize the thematic areas of oceans, coastal areas and ecosystems, and forests and grasslands. The Adaptation Committee (AC) advised the NWP to address the linkages between biodiversity and climate change adaptation at the 14th NWP Focal Point Forum scheduled to be held in conjunction with the twenty-sixth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26). The discussions will examine knowledge gaps on forest and grassland biodiversity outlined in a scoping report, and ecosystems and the ocean, coastal areas and ecosystems report.
Please download the slides presented during the focal point forum here>>
| Time (UTC) |
Agenda |
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| 18:00–18:20 |
High level opening segment |
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Kakhaberi Mdivani, Vice Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) |
| 15 min |
Introduction and keynote speakers |
David Cooper, Deputy Executive Secretary at the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Tina Birmpili, Deputy Executive Secretary of United Nations Convention to Combat of Desertification (UNCCD)
Vel Gnanendran, Climate and Environment Director, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, United Kingdom (COP 26 Presidency)
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| 19:35–20:40 |
Technical segment |
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| 15 min |
Setting the scene:
- Introduction to technical segment: objectives and expectations
- Overview of the progress under the NWP
- Role of the NWP and engagement of thematic expert groups in closing adaptation knowledge gaps
- Brief overview of the knowledge gaps, progress and proposed plan in closing knowledge gaps in the context of the thematic areas of oceans, coastal areas and ecosystems, and forests and grasslands
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Moderator: Janine Felson, Ambassador of Belize
Fatema Rajabali, UNFCCC secretariat |
| 20 min |
Integration of biodiversity and climate change adaptation in national priorities and actions:
- Integration of biodiversity into national adaptation planning – example in forests/grasslands
- Integration of biodiversity into national adaptation planning – example in oceans and coastal areas
- Recognition and valorization of traditional knowledge, knowledge of indigenous peoples and local knowledge systems for integrating biodiversity into national adaptation planning and implementation
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Marieme Bekaye, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Mauritania (tbc)
Rosa Morales, General Director of Climate Change and Desertification of the Ministry of the Environment, Peru
Radha Wagle, Chief of the Climate Change Management Division, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Nepal
Espen Ronneberg, Director of Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Programme, The Pacific Community (SPC)
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| 20 min |
Collaborative actions in closing knowledge gaps in biodiversity and climate change adaptation: examples from the NWP thematic expert groups
Actions undertaken by the NWP Expert Group on the Ocean
Actions undertaken by the NWP Expert Group on Biodiversity and Adaptation
- Promoting synergy between biodiversity and climate change adaptation through the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan (NBSAP)
- Addressing gender inequities in forest and trees-based adaptation is key to address the climate urgency (CIFOR)
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Lisa Schindler Murray, Senior Manager of Policy and Partnerships, Rare
Ali Raza Rizvi, Global Coordinator of Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Valerie Kapos, Head of the Climate Change and Biodiversity Programme, UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)
Houria Djoudi, Senior Scientist, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) |
| 20:40–20:50 |
Q&A |
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| 20:50–21:30 |
Plenary Interactive discussion |
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| 40 min |
Interactive session to discuss priority knowledge gaps, learning and actions to close knowledge gaps:
a) oceans and coastal areas b) grasslands, c) forests
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| 21:30–21:40 |
Reporting back (rapporteurs) |
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| 21:40–21:45 |
Key closing remarks
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Moderator: Janine Felson, Ambassador of Belize
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