Introduction

Adaptation and resilience
Loss and damage

The world is already experiencing changes in average temperature, shifts in the seasons, an increasing frequency of extreme weather events, and slow onset events. The faster the climate changes and the longer adaptation efforts are put off, the more difficult and expensive responding to climate change will be.

Adaptation refers to adjustments in ecological, social or economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects. It refers to changes in processes, practices and structures to moderate potential damages or to benefit from opportunities associated with climate change. In simple terms, countries and communities need to develop adaptation solutions and implement actions to respond to current and future climate change impacts.

Adaptation actions can take on many forms, depending on the unique context of a community, business, organization, country or region. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all-solution’—adaptation can range from building flood defences, setting up early warning systems for cyclones, switching to drought-resistant crops, to redesigning communication systems, business operations and government policies. Many nations and communities are already taking steps to build resilient societies and economies. However, greater action and ambition will be needed to cost-effectively manage the risks, both now and in the future.

Successful adaptation not only depends on governments but also on the active and sustained engagement of stakeholders, including local communities, national, regional, multilateral and international organizations, public and private sectors, civil society and other relevant actors, as well as an effective management of knowledge. Parties to the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement recognize that adaptation is a global challenge faced by all with local, subnational, national, regional and international dimensions.

Adaptation is a critical component of the long-term global response to climate change to protect people, livelihoods and ecosystems. Parties acknowledge that adaptation action should follow a country-driven, gender-responsive, participatory and fully transparent approach, considering vulnerable groups, communities and ecosystems. Adaptation should be based on and guided by the best available science and, as appropriate, traditional knowledge, knowledge of indigenous peoples and local knowledge systems, with a view to integrating adaptation into socioeconomic and environmental policies and actions.

How to undertake adaptation?

The figure above shows the adaptation policy cycle and support offered under the UN Climate Change regime.

The UNFCCC has set up constituted bodies and workstreams relevant to progressing adaptation responses and enhancing societal and environmental resilience. At CMA 5, Parties adopted the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience, marking a major milestone for adaptation under the Paris Agreement. The purpose of the framework is to guide the achievement of the global goal on adaptation and the review of overall progress in achieving it with a view to reducing the increasing adverse impacts, risks and vulnerabilities associated with climate change, as well as to enhance adaptation action and support.

The work on adaptation within the UNFCCC has been long-standing. The Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) was established in 2001 and is currently mandated to provide technical guidance and accelerate support to the LDCs on the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans (NAPs). Established in 2010, the Adaptation Committee (AC) is the global voice on adaptation, working to drive forward coherent UNFCCC action on adaptation worldwide by providing expert guidance, enhancing outreach, and supporting the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Since 2018, the Facilitative Working Group (FWG) furthers the operationalization of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP), facilitating the implementation of three functions related to knowledge, capacity for engagement and climate change policies and action.

Parties are encouraged to utilize the technical guidance, support and resources provided by the UNFCCC-related bodies and workstreams in submitting their NAPs and Adaptation Communications (AdComs). The Adaptation Knowledge Portal, by the Nairobi Work Programme, the knowledge-to-action hub for climate resilience and adaptation, and the Lima Adaptation Knowledge Initiative (LAKI) helps countries and sub-regions around the world identify their adaptation knowledge gaps, catalyze actions to close these gaps, and share adaptation knowledge and foster learning.

More information and links on adaptation-related UNFCCC bodies and workstreams are below:

Adaptation Committee (AC)

The Adaptation Committee (AC) was established in 2010 as a part of the Cancun Adaptation Framework to promote the implementation of enhanced action on adaptation in a coherent manner under the Convention.

The activities of the AC include: providing technical support and guidance to the Parties; sharing of relevant information, knowledge, experience and good practices; promoting synergy and strengthening engagement with national, regional and international organizations, centres and networks; providing information and recommendations, drawing on adaptation good practices, for consideration by the COP when providing guidance on means to incentivize the implementation of adaptation actions, including finance, technology and capacity-building; and considering information communicated by Parties on their monitoring and review of adaptation actions, support provided and received. Much of the work of the AC is collaborative, an example is the AC’s Task Force on National Adaptation Plans (NAP Taskforce), which serves as the panel within the AC that continuously looks at issues related to NAPs.

Recent publications by the AC can be accessed here.

The AC’s 2022-2024 flexible workplan can be found here.

Sign up for the AC’s Adaptation Finance Bulletin and learn more about the AC’s work by attending/re-watching AC meetings.

Stay up to date with the adaptation work under the UNFCCC through the Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn pages.

Adaptation Communications (Adcoms)

Adaptation Communications (Adcoms) were established by Article 7, paragraphs 10 and 11, of the Paris Agreement. Each Party should submit and update periodically an adaptation communication, which may include information on its priorities, implementation and support needs, plans and actions. AdComs aim to strengthen adaptation action and support for developing countries, provide input to the global stocktake, and enhance learning and understanding of adaptation needs and actions.

As the new Adcom public registry is in place, the Adaptation Committee is offering guidance for Parties to prepare their adaptation communications and enhance the quality of information being submitted.

Facilitative Working Group (FWG)

Facilitative Working Group (FWG) of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) is a constituted body that was established at COP 24 in 2018.

The FWG’s aim is to further operationalize the LCIPP and facilitate the implementation of its three functions: promotes exchanges of experiences and good practices for addressing climate change in a holistic way, builds capacity for engagement and brings together diverse ways of knowing for designing and implementing climate policies and actions. In so doing, the FWG collaborates with other bodies under and outside the Convention, as appropriate, to enhance the coherence of the actions of the Platform under the Convention.

The FWG is in its second three-year workplan for the period of 2022-2024.

LCIPP-related events can be found here, and the resource hub that hosts submissions by LCIPP contributors can be found here,

Global goal on adaptation

Under the Paris Agreement, the GGA was established to provide a collective vision and direction for the international community to engage in needed adaptation and resilience-building efforts. Following the conclusion of a 2-year work programme, at CMA 5 (December 2023), Parties adopted the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience, as part of the UAE Consensus. The framework includes a range of thematic and dimensional targets for climate adaptation and resilience and provides a platform for increased implementation of adaptation actions on the ground.

CMA 5 also established a two-year UAE – Belém work programme, on the development of indicators for measuring progress achieved towards the targets outlined in the framework, to be carried out jointly by the SBSTA and SBI.

The Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG)

Since 2001, the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) was established to provide technical guidance and support to the LDCs on the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans (NAPs). The LEG is mandated to provide technical guidance and advice on accessing funding from the Green Climate Fund for the formulation and implementation of NAPs and implements its work programme through various activities to share best practices and lessons learned.

The LEG implements its work programme through a variety of modalities including technical guidance to the countries, technical guidelines, technical papers, training activities, workshops, expert meetings, NAP Expos, case studies, capturing and sharing of experiences, best practices and lessons learned, NAP Central, monitoring of progress, effectiveness and gaps, collaboration with other bodies, programmes and organizations, and promotion of coherence and synergy.

NAP Central is a portal developed under the guidance of the LEG, aiming to facilitate access to data, information and knowledge relevant to NAPs.

LDC Portal contains information that is of specific interest to LDCs and their work on NAPs, including databases of relevance to both LDCs and non-LDCs alike, and sources of funding.

National Adaptation Plans (NAPs)

The National Adaptation Plan (NAPs) process was established under the Cancun Adaptation Framework (CAF) and enables Parties to formulate and implement national adaptation plans (NAPs) to reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, by building adaptive capacity and resilience and to facilitate the integration of climate change adaptation, in a coherent manner, into relevant new and existing policies, programmes and activities.

Technical guidelines for the NAP process and the latest report on the Progress in the Formulation and Implementation of NAPs (2021) serve as critical sources for furthering knowledge and understanding progress related to NAPs.

All NAPs submitted by countries can be found here.

Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change (NWP)

The Nairobi Work Programme (NWP): The UNFCCC Knowledge-to-Action Hub for Climate Adaptation and Resilience is an inclusive network of over 400 leading and diverse organizations committed to closing knowledge gaps and scale up climate adaptation action in countries.

The Adaptation Knowledge Portal is an online resource of the NWP, providing free and open access to adaptation knowledge resources, including a database of case studies, methods and tools, publication and technical documents, among other materials.

Workshops and meetings hosted by the NWP can be found here.

Signing up for the network of action hub partners can be found here.

Stay up to date with the adaptation work under the UNFCCC through the Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn pages.

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adaptation

Human-induced climate change, including more frequent and intense extreme events, has caused widespread adverse impacts and related losses and damages to nature and people beyond natural climate variability. Some development and adaptation efforts have reduced vulnerability, but the rise in weather and climate extremes has led to some irreversible impacts as natural and human systems are pushed beyond their ability to adapt.

Loss and damage arising from the adverse effects of climate change can include those related to extreme weather events but also slow onset events, such as sea level rise, increasing temperatures, ocean acidification, glacial retreat and related impacts, salinization, land and forest degradation, loss of biodiversity and desertification.

Acknowledging that loss and damage includes, and in some cases involves more than, that which can be reduced by adaptation, COP 19 established the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage. Since then, it has been serving as the main catalyzer under the UNFCCC process for enhancing knowledge, coherence, action and support to avert, minimize and address loss and damage associated with climate change impacts in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

In the broadest understanding, all efforts being taken to curb the global average temperature increase and to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change can contribute to preventing or reducing the risks of loss and damage associated with climate change borne by societies and individuals.

Article 8 of the Paris Agreement enshrines the importance of averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage and the role of sustainable development in reducing the risk of loss and damage. It identifies the following areas of cooperation and facilitation to enhance understanding, action and support with regard to loss and damage:

●   Early warning systems
         ●   Emergency preparedness
         ●   Slow onset events
         ●   Events that may involve irreversible and permanent loss and damage
         ● Non-economic losses
         ●   Events that may involve irreversible and permanent loss and damage
         ●   Resilience of communities, livelihoods and ecosystems

As synthesized by the IPCC, the latest science tells us that near-term actions that limit global warming to close to 1.5°C would substantially reduce projected losses and damages related to climate change in human systems and ecosystems but cannot eliminate them all. Further adaptation does not prevent all losses and damages, even with effective adaptation.

Within the UN Climate Change regime, Parties carry out loss and damage-related activities through the following:

Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage

COP 19 established the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with impacts of climate change (WIM) to address loss and damage associated with the impacts of climate change, including extreme events and slow onset events, in developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Since then, the WIM has been the main catalyzer under the UNFCCC process to enhance knowledge, dialogue, coordination, action and support for loss and damage. The WIM is anchored in Article 8 of the Paris Agreement.

Link to the WIM page

WIM Executive Committee

Established at COP 19, the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage guides the implementation of the Mechanism's functions and implements its work through a five-year rolling work plan, containing activities under five strategic workstreams as well as cross-cutting in nature. The Committee comprises 20 members nominated by Parties and reports annually. To date, the Executive Committee has established the Expert Groups on Slow onset events, Non-economic losses, Action and support and Comprehensive risk management, and the Task Force on Displacement.

Through the thematic expert groups, Executive Committee engages a large number of experts, as well as implementing agencies, organizations, and networks, with relevant expertise. In addition to specific technical areas of work, the groups collaborate on some activities, such as developing technical guides that aim to help stakeholders at different levels and scales toward relevant materials in the domain of the workstreams of the Warsaw International Mechanism.

Link to the WIM ExCom top page

Link to thematic expert groups top page

Link to the list of WIM ExCom’s knowledge products

Santiago network

COP 25 established as part of the WIM, the Santiago network to catalyze the technical assistance of relevant organizations, bodies, networks and experts, for the implementation of relevant approaches at the local, national and regional level, in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

Link to the Santiago network portal

Fund for responding to Loss and Damage

COP 27 established the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) whose mandate includes a focus on addressing loss and damage to assist developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change in responding to economic and non-economic loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and slow onset events.

Link to the FRLD top page

Transitional Committee

COP 27 and CMA 4 established new funding arrangements and a fund for assisting developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, in responding to loss and damage. The fund includes a focus on addressing loss and damage. A transitional committee on the operationalization of the new funding arrangements was established, to make recommendations for consideration and adoption by COP28 and CMA5.

Link to the Transitional Committee webpage

Loss and damage contact points

COP 22 invited interested Parties to establish a loss and damage contact point through their respective UNFCCC national focal point, with a view to enhancing the implementation of approaches to address loss and damage at the national level.

CMA 4 invited Parties to inform the Santiago network Secretariat of their liaison to the Santiago network Secretariat to support alignment of technical assistance through the Santiago network with national priorities.

The 6th meeting of the FRLD Board adopted the guidance for FRLD focal points to be responsible for overall management and implementation of activities, projects and programmes supported by the Fund.