30 November-12 December: COP 21, Paris, France
COP 21 appreciated the progress made by the Adaptation Committee (AC) in the implementation of its first 3-year workplan. Furthermore, it welcomed the report of the AC, including its recommendations and the workplan of the AC for the period 2016–2018 contained in its annex. Based on a recommendation from the AC, the COP invited the IPCC to enhance outreach activities that would facilitate policymakers’ understanding of the impact of different levels of warming on adaptation planning and actions. It requested the AC to further strengthen cooperation with the SCF and other constituted bodies under the Convention, with a view to enhancing coherence and collaboration regarding adaptation finance. In addition, the COP requested the TEC, in collaboration with the CTCN, AC and LEG, to consider how it can help Parties to align their technology needs assessments with the process to formulate and implement NAPs.
The Paris Agreement further contains a range of new activities for the AC, including to conduct a technical examination process on adaptation.
9-12 September: Eighth meeting of the Adaptation Committee, Bonn, Germany
At its eighth meeting the AC agreed on its future workplan for the years 2016-2018. The workplan builds on the results of the AC's work undertaken so far and maintains flexibility to take on new and emerging tasks, including those resulting from future agreements and decisions under the Convention, including COP 21, as well as the 2016 review of the progress and performance of the AC.
The AC further agreed on its inputs to the SCF's guidance to the operating entities of the financial mechanism under the Convention and considered the outlines for two forthcoming publications, namely its 2015 Overview Report and a publication on support available for the process to formulate and implement NAPs. Both publications will be made available before COP 21.
Based on the outcomes of its work carried out throughout 2015, including an input document containing information, key issues and recommendations on the means of implementation for enhanced adaptation action, the AC also agreed on recommendations to be forwarded to COP 21 for consideration, which will be contained in this year's report of the AC.
7-8 September: Expert meeting on promoting livelihoods and economic diversification, Bonn, Germany
The meeting took place immediately before AC 8, building on the relevant work undertaken under the NWP on this matter.
It was held under the guidance of the Chair of the SBSTA and in collaboration with relevant NWP organizations. The expert meeting was attended by almost 40 experts on livelihood and economic diversification and was informed by a variety of case studies provided by NWP partners.
Participants discussed economic diversification at the regional and national levels, livelihood diversification at the household and community levels, as well as options to strengthen linkages between both, including processes and tools that can effectively integrate efforts, in particular in the NAP process. For more information please visit the dedicated webpage.
The report on the meeting will be made available for consideration by AC 9. In addition, the AC will also issue in 2016 a user-friendly information product to disseminate the findings from the meeting.
16-17 April: Workshop on experiences, good practices, lessons learned, gaps and needs on the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans, Bonn, Germany
The AC, in collaboration with the LEG, organized this workshop back to back with the NAP Expo, drawing upon experts and practitioners at different levels to share experiences, good practices, lessons learned, gaps and needs on the process to formulate and implement NAPs.
The workshop built on the outcomes of the previous year’s meeting organized by the AC's NAP taskforce, the work on the means of implementation for enhanced adaptation action and on information exchanged during the NAP Expo. The workshop was informed by an information paper (FCCC/SBI/2014/INF.14).
At COP 20, Parties decided that there is a need to enhance the reporting on the process to formulate and implement NAPs and noted the need to strengthen the existing reporting related to the process. The COP decided to explore reporting options as part of this workshop and to then further consider how to enhance reporting related to the NAP process at SBI 42. SBI 42 then initiated its consideration of options on this matter, taking into account information contained in the workshop report (FCCC/SBI/2015/INF.6). The SBI agreed to continue that consideration at SBI 44.
7 March: Second Adaptation Forum “Institutional arrangements to build partnerships and strengthen regional networks” Panama City, Panama
The AC held its 2015 Adaptation Forum in conjunction with the first forum of the Global Adaptation Network (GAN).
The objectives of the 2015 Adaptation Forum were to build and share partnerships and to prioritize areas for cooperation
to support improved regional institutional arrangements for adaptation, as well as encouraging the engagement of regional networks and institutions with the AC.
The event brought together almost 100 participants, including individuals from various adaptation knowledge networks and institutions, government officials and experts working in the field of climate change adaptation, providing an opportunity for dialogue and learning between adaptation actors and networks inter-regionally and globally.
2-4 March: Workshop on the means of implementation for enhanced adaptation action, Bonn, Germany
The overarching topic of the workshop was understanding adaptation finance: how has adaptation finance resulted – or not resulted – in effective and concrete action.
The workshop explored the following five topics: access to finance; national-level institutional arrangements and mobilization of finance in developing countries; the importance of integrating adaptation into development; the role of the private sector; and the NAP process.
The workshop was informed by a synthesis paper ( AC/2015/9), based on submissions and other relevant information on adaptation finance, which was provided as background in advance of the workshop. The synthesis paper, the report on the workshop and other background information are available on the workshop webpage.
24-27 February: Seventh meeting of the Adaptation Committee, Bonn, Germany
At its seventh meeting the Adaptation Committee (AC) members elected a new Co-Chair, Mr. Don Lemmen (Canada) and re-elected Mr. Juan Hoffmaister (Bolivia, Plurinational State of) as Co-Chair. Relevant progress was made, including in the areas of coherence and collaboration, with participation of one of the Co-Chairs of the GCF.
With regard to adaptation finance, the AC agreed to discontinue fragmented discussions and to give that matter a focused discussion space under agenda item on means of implementation. The involvement of external experts was further perceived as a good initiative to advance the work of the AC.
The areas of M&E and NAPs particularly profited from this expert participation, as well as an open discussion day to exchange views and ideas for the next workplan of the Adaptation Committee.
In addition, observers acknowledged the work of the AC and welcomed its transparency.