Adaptation
Adaptation is one of key approaches to climate change. While it is necessary for countries to address the challenge of mitigation, as without mitigation of greenhouse gases and other climate forces, climate change cannot be addressed, adaptation at first was considered as a local problem. In the context of international negotiations, the issues of adaptation to climate change are key for least developed countries and small island states, as well as to those countries that are at the frontline of climate change impacts emerging today. Already today, the adverse effects of climate change are keenly felt by the predominantly poor population of many African and Asian countries, while very existence of some islands is threatened by the rising sea levels. The UNFCCC adopted a programme of work on adaptation in 2001 for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) which were encouraged to plan for the future, and to prepare their national adaptation programs of action (NAPAs). These documents were to identify priority activities responding to countries urgent needs to adapt to climate change – those for which further delay would increase vulnerability and/or costs at a later stage. Parties debated on the guidelines for such documents prepared at national levels. A NAPA project database in need of finance was set up by the UNFCCC Secretariat. Adaptation work was further developed under the Nairobi Work Programme, adapted in 2006 and still ongoing, addressing the issues of vulnerability to climate change, its impacts and adaptation.
In Cancun, parties to the UNFCCC recognized the need for a long term global goal which is to keep the rise of global temperature below 2 degree C by 2100. Parties also agreed on the Cancun Adaptation Framework, setting up the institutional backbone of adaptation work of which the key institution is the Adaptation Committee. Parties were invited to prepare their national adaptation plans (NAPs), to address the issues of support, institutions, loss and damage and other questions, such as stakeholder engagement. Parties set up the Adaptation Fund under the Kyoto Protocol (which was to be financed by the proceeds from the flexible mechanisms JI and CDM). Since 2010, the Adaptation Fund has committed USD 331 million in 54 countries to climate adaptation and resilience activities. Negotiations on loss and damage have resulted in the COP.19 in Warsaw adopting the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage. In the run up to the Paris COP, which adopted global climate agreement in December 2015, the issue of adaptation grew in prominence. Many vulnerable countries advocated the adoption of a global adaptation goal, following the example of the global mitigation goal. Adaptation actions were incorporated by many countries into their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), submitted to the UNFCCC Secretariat in the course of 2015 as their input into the global fight against climate change. In the Paris Agreement, adaptation was given equal weight to mitigation. Article 7 of the Paris Agreement established the global goal on adaptation of enhancing adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change, with a view to contributing to sustainable development and ensuring an adequate adaptation response in the context of the long term goal of the Agreement. Adaptation was recognized as a key component of response to climate change. Existing frameworks, such as the Cancun Adaptation Framework and Adaptation Committee would provide support in strengthening cooperation on enhancing action on adaptation. Each party shall engage in adaptation planning processes and in the implementation of actions on adaptation which may be communicated periodically in an adaptation communication.