Operating under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Adaptation Committee was established in 2010 as the overall advisory body on adaptation to the Conference of Parties (COP). Consistent with the committees role in promoting enhanced adaptation action both within and outside of the convention, the committee have produced this 2013 annual thematic report on the State of Adaptation under the UNFCCC, aimed at all stakeholders as well as civil society. It seeks to provide both historical context and a current overview of the adaptation agenda under the UNFCCC.
The report begins by providing context on the adaptation challenge, briefly outlining the magnitude of the task, and the increasing development, at multiple levels, of iterative processes of assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring aimed at meeting those challenges. Next, the report summarises the history of adaptation under the convention, chronologically highlighting key moments where the debate shifted from uncertainty, to acceptance and the seeking of solutions, through pilots, implementations, and the sharing of lessons learned and best practice, and on to efforts geared toward substantial scaling-up of adaptation measures.
The following section provides insights on what support is available for adaptation under the UNFCCC, including finance, technology, and capacity building. Highlighted is the 2011 establishment of the Durban Forum on Capacity Building, an annual event bringing together stakeholders involved in capacity building in developing countries. The topic of engaging with stakeholders is then discussed, highlighting the need for a gender-sensitive, participatory, and fully transparent approach to adaptation. Finally, a description of how the implementation of adaptation-related provisions under the Convention is facilitated by the secretariat is presented. The secretariat facilitates negotiation sessions, organises expert, technical, and training workshops and meetings, prepares analytical and technical documentation, and keeps a repository of information on adaptation.