Promoting coherence in adaptation under the Convention and synergies with organizations, centres and networks
 

1. Promoting coherence in adaptation under the Convention

The overarching objective of the AC is to promote the implementation of enhanced action on adaptation in a coherent manner under the Convention. As such, the AC, throughout 2013 and 2014, has sought to identify ways in which it can achieve that objective. It is an ongoing process that continues to progress as the AC evolves.

2. Promoting synergies with organizations, centres and networks

By decision 2/CP.17, the COP requested the AC to engage with, and draw on the expertise of, relevant institutions, organizations, frameworks, networks and centres, including those at the intergovernmental, regional, national and, through them, subnational levels, where appropriate. The COP agreed that the Committee should seek input from intergovernmental, international, regional, national and subnational organizations, centres and networks, the private sector and civil society in undertaking its work and should invite advisers drawn from them to participate in its meetings as expert advisers on specific issues as they arise.

Related documents

Promoting coherence in adaptation under the Convention

Promoting synergies with organizations, centres and networks

In recognition of the need for women and men to be equally represented in all aspects of the Convention process and for climate action to respond to the differentiated needs, experiences, priorities and capacities of women and men, Parties have focused on two goals under the dedicated gender and climate change agenda item:

• Improving gender balance and increasing the participation of women in all UNFCCC processes, including in delegations and in bodies constituted under the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.

• Increasing awareness and support for the development and effective implementation of gender-responsive climate policy and action at the regional, national and local levels

At its 14th meeting, AC members and observers were informed about gender-related activities under the UNFCCC. Subsequently the AC agreed to incorporate gender as a cross-cutting consideration into all its activities.

Related documents
 

List of regional centres and networks on adaptation

Activity 6 of the Adaptation Committee's (AC’s) work plan requested the secretariat to compile a list of regional centres and networks working on adaptation. The AC is making this list available here as part of its work on ways to strengthen the roles of regional institutions and UN agencies in supporting enhanced adaptation action in developing countries. The AC has already received valuable information from regional centres and networks on their current support for adaptation, which has been synthesized into an information paper (see AC/2014/7).

At its fifth meeting the AC endorsed the initial list, which will be updated every six months. The AC further established a dedicated task force on technical support to propose modalities for providing support to Parties on adaptation, for consideration by the AC. The specific tasks for the group include analyzing existing support for adaptation action provided by regional institutions and UN agencies, including gaps, needs and opportunities. The group will further propose modalities to strengthen and enhance coherence of the provision of support to developing countries for activities related to adaptation.

Providing technical support and guidance to the Parties with a view to facilitating the implementation of adaptation activities

One of the agreed functions of the Adaptation Committee (AC) is to provide technical support and guidance to the Parties, respecting the country-driven approach, with a view to facilitating the implementation of adaptation activities, including those listed in decision 1/CP.16, paragraphs 14 and 15.

In order to carry out this function the AC has included the following activities in its workplan.

• The organization of a workshop on the monitoring and evaluation of adaptation, building on and contributing to existing related processes. Further information on the workshop including the final report can be found here.
• The compilation and updating of a list of regional centres and networks working on adaptation with a view to strengthening their role in supporting country-driven adaptation actions (see under Regional centres and networks)
• The establishment of an ad hoc group, in collaboration with relevant organizations and experts, to propose modalities to facilitate technical backstopping for projects for Parties upon request. This group was established as an ad-hoc group on technical support and its pdf-icon terms of reference were agreed at AC 5.
• Consideration of the work resulting from the outcomes of the work programme on loss and damage.
• The organization of a workshop on best practices and needs of local and indigenous communities together with the Nairobi Work Programme. More information on the workshop including the final report can be found here.
• The organization of an expert meeting on promoting livelihoods and economic diversification to build resilience in the context of planning, prioritizing and implementing adaptation actions. This meeting was held from 7 to 8 September 2015.

The list below shows the background documents on the above issues that the AC has considered during its meetings. These documents served as input to the discussion and show the evolution of the discussions to-date.

Background documents

National adaptation plans

Monitoring and evaluation of adaptation

Ad-hoc group on technical support

Consideration of the work resulting from the outcomes of the work programme on loss and damage

Best practices and needs of local and indigenous communities

Promoting livelihoods and economic diversification

Providing information and recommendations for guidance on means to incentivize the implementation of adaptation actions, including finance, technology and capacity-building

One of the agreed functions of the Adaptation Committee (AC) through which it shall promote the implementation of enhanced action on adaptation is the provision of 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. In its initial three-year workplan the AC elaborated the activities it would undertake regarding technical support and guidance to Parties on means of implementation.

In 2013 the AC has invited regional institutions and United Nations agencies supporting work on adaptation to communicate their current support for adaptation in developing countries and summarized the inputs received into an information paper .

In 2014 the AC has started preparatory work for a workshop on the means of implementation for enhanced adaptation action which took place from 2 to 4 March 2015. The workshop brought together relevant bilateral, regional and multilateral institutions facilitating the means of implementation, as well as development agencies at the country level, to discuss how to further promote the implementation of enhanced action in a coherent manner under the Convention. Representatives of the TEC, the SCF, the GCF Board, the Adaptation Fund Board and the Global Environment Facility were also invited. The AC will use the outcomes of the workshop as well as other relevant information, including the outcomes of the workshop on monitoring and evaluation of adaptation, to provide guidance on means of implementation of adaptation actions and recommendations for consideration by the COP.

The list below shows the background documents on the above issues that the AC has considered during its meetings. These documents served as input to the discussion and show evolution of the discussions to-date.

Background documents
 

Communication, awareness-raising, outreach and sharing of information

The workplan of the AC contains a range of activities to facilitate awareness-raising, outreach and sharing of information. This includes: the communication, information and outreach strategy which the AC adopted as a living document, adaptation fora and a related video documentary, thematic and overview reports, meetings with relevant organizations, and collaboration with the LEG on its NAP Central, currently being developed as a universally accessible hub for information pertinent to the national adaptation plan (NAP) process.

The AC also reports annually to the COP, through the subsidiary bodies, including on its activities, the performance of its functions, guidance, recommendations and other relevant information arising from its work and, as appropriate, on further action that may be required under the Convention, for consideration by the COP.

The AC meets twice a year. The list below shows all documents on the above issues that the AC has considered and developed. These documents served as input to the discussion and show evolution of the discussions to-date.

All relevant documents providing input to and considered at AC meetings are provided below. The documents show the evolution of discussions to date.

Relevant documents

Communication, information and outreach strategy

Meetings with relevant organizations

Development of thematic and overview reports

Adaptation Fora

Annual reports

Collaboration on NAP Central