Connecting countries to climate technology solutions
English Arabic Chinese (Simplified) French Russian Spanish Yoruba

Adaptation

Adaptation

  • Type: 
    Publication
    Publication date:
    Objective:
    Approach:

    From its inception, the international climate policy effort has predominantly been focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to prevent climate change. The concept of adapting to climate change has, on the other hand, received less attention. There has also been some reluctance towards giving attention to the adaptation issue, for fear that it would be seen as a signal of giving up on combating climate change.

  • Type: 
    Publication
    Publication date:
    Objective:
    Approach:

    This paper documents the summaries of briefing papers on key issues under the four main “building blocks” of the current international climate negotiations – mitigation, adaptation, technology and finance – as well as land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF). It aims to assist policy makers in understanding the complex issues under discussion in the climate change negotiating process.

  • Type: 
    Publication
    Publication date:
    Objective:
    Sectors:
    Approach:

    This paper analyses the positive impact of decentralised renewable energy technologies that enhance climate change adaptation capacity in developing countries facing increasing climate change-related hazards. It is argued that now and over the next decades, developing countries are and will be disproportionately affected by climate change negative impacts and suffer higher costs because of their greater vulnerability to natural hazards.

  • Type: 
    Publication
    Publication date:
    Objective:
    Approach:

    This article, which is part of the Water Front edition, focuses on how human-induced climate change will worsen the global water crisis through melting glaciers, rainfall changes, droughts and stronger, more unpredictable natural disasters, which in turn will affect poverty reduction and livelihood security. The author discusses how robust strategies are needed to make human development climate proof, as it is a matter of survival for billions of people. However, she adds, climate proofing is challenging as it is about the distribution of resources.

  • Type: 
    Publication
    Publication date:
    Objective:
    Approach:

    This is a summary of a report on climate change adaptation research knowledge and capacity gaps in China, commissioned by DFID (UK) and IDRC (Canada) to consider support for a programme of applied research on climate adaptation in Asia. Although scientific research capacity on assessing the effects of climate change in China is strong, adaptation as a specific domain of research effort is a new concept.In accordance with donor priorities, the study involves the identification of vulnerable groups in geographical regions likely to face great stress from climate change.

  • Type: 
    Publication
    Publication date:
    Objective:
    Approach:

    This briefing paper describes a new approach to addressing the vulnerability of poor communities to climate change: Community-based adaptation (CBA). CBA begins by identifying the communities in the developing world that are most vulnerable to climate change. These are generally very poor, depend on natural resources, and occupy areas prone to environmental shocks. Once a community’s vulnerability has been established, using the best available science on climate change impacts, the process of engagement with the communities can begin.

  • Type: 
    Publication
    Publication date:
    Objective:
    Approach:

    Any view on international finance for climate adaptation in developing countries must deal with the question of the cost of adaptation and how much funds will be available under current conditions. Although existing estimates of adaptation funding needs in developing countries are still very vague, they all indicate that they are and will be in the tens of billions €/$ per annum. At the same time, many developing countries presently do not have the relevant ‘absorptive capacity’, the capacity to carry out the adaptation measures needed, even if the funding were available.

  • Type: 
    Publication
    Publication date:
    Objective:
    Approach:

    This paper explores the potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enable people to adapt to the consequences of climate change, particularly in the most vulnerable regions of the world—areas that are geographically, economically or socially marginal, and therefore tend to lie at the edges of the world’s mainstream concerns. Using the Arctic as a case study, the author asserts that in addition to the harmful impacts of climate change, beneficial opportunities can also result, even in some of the most vulnerable regions of the world.

  • Type: 
    Publication
    Publication date:
    Objective:
    Approach:

    Climate change impacts disproportionately affect the poor. Impacts will intensify yet poor communities already struggle to cope with current climate shocks. Adaptation is therefore fundamental, yet daunting. This edition of the Tiempo newsletter addresses the issue of community-based adaptation strategies. Four articles included are:

  • Type: 
    Publication
    Publication date:
    Objective:
    Approach:

    Small communities are often the most severely affected, yet the least equipped to cope with the impacts of climate change.In recognition of this, the UNDP-GEF Community-Based Adaptation (CBA) project pilots the community component of the GEF Strategic Priority on Adaptation, building the resilience of communities and the ecosystems upon which they rely in the face of climate change impacts. Key features of the programme include: