Presentation: Synergies - UNFCCC

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Latest development in the UNFCCC process
possible synergies between UNFCCC and WHC
Rocio Lichte Programme Officer UNFCCC
secretariat
Working Group Meeting World Heritage and Climate
Change, Paris 5-6 February 2007

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New evidence of climate change IPCC Fourth
Assessment report (WG1) SPM , Paris, February 2,
2007

• Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as
  is now evident from observations of increases in
  global average air and ocean temperatures,
  widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising
  global mean sea level, including
• mountain glaciers snow cover declined
• Losses in ice sheets of Greenland Antartica
• Global average sea level rose (faster over
  1993-2003)
• Permafrost top layerincrease in temperature
• Drying at Sahel and Mediterranean
• More intense droughts
• Frequency of precipitation events increased
• Increase in tropical cyclone activity .

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UN Framework Convention on Climate Change some
key elements relevant to WHC concerns

• Objective
• achieve stabilization of GHG concentrations in
  the atmosphere ..to prevent dangerous
  anthropogenic interference with the climate
  system..within a time-frame sufficient to allow
  ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change
• General approach
• Mitigation Actions to control, reduce or or
  prevent GHG emissions, hence reduce climate
  change
• Limiting or reducing GHG emissions by sources
• Preserving and enhancing sinks and reservoirs of
  GHGs
• Adaptation Actions to help countries and
  ecosystems to cope with the conditions of a
  changing climate, moderate harm of climate change
• Parties to cooperate in preparing for adaptation
  to the impacts of climate change (integrated
  plans for coastal zone management, water
  resources agriculture, protection and
  rehabilitation of areas, integrating climate
  change risks into development planning etc..)

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UNFCCC key elements MITIGATION

• Measures to reduce GHGs in relevant sectors
  energy, transport, industry, agriculture,
  forestry, waste management
• Series of workshops on the scientific, technical
  and socio-economic aspects of mitigation (May
  2006 Dec 2007under SBSTA) to exchange
  information experience on practical
  opportunities to facilitate implementation of the
  Convention
• Kyoto Protocol (KP)
• Overall emission reduction by 5 per cent (between
  2008-2012 by Annex I Parties)
• Legally binding reduction targets for
  industrialized countries that are Parties to the
  KP
• Provides for flexible mechanisms to lower the
  overall costs of achieving reduction targets
  contribute to sustainable development in
  developing countries
• Stringent process of reporting and review

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UNFCCC key elements Adaptation an evolving
focus

• Increased attention and priority in recent years
• 2001 (COP7)
• Identification of 18 areas of assistance on
  adaptation (5/CP.7)
• 3 new funds
• Process of development of National Adaptation
  Programmes of Action (NAPAs) in LDCs
• 2002 (COP 8)
• Delhi Ministerial Declaration adaptation is
  important for all Parties.
• 2004 Buenos Aires Programme of Work on
  Adaptation and Response Measures (Decision
  1/CP.10)
• Request to develop SBSTA 5 year programme of work
• 5 Regional workshops reflecting national
  priorities
• 2005 Montreal (COP 11) and 2006 Nairobi (COP 12)
  Adoption of SBSTA five-year programme on impacts,
  vulnerability and adaptation to climate change
• Nairobi work programme

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Nairobi work programme

• Objective is to assist Parties (in particular
  developing countries, including LDCs and SIDS)
  to
• To improve their understanding and assessment of
  impacts, vulnerability and adaptation,
• To make informed decisions on practical
  adaptation actions measures
• Expected outcomes
• Enhanced capacity at all levels to further
  understand VA and to select effective and high
  priority adaptation actions
• Enhanced knowledge on practical adaptation
  activities
• Improved information and advice to the COP
• Enhanced cooperation among Parties, relevant
  organizations, business, civil society, and
  decision makers
• Enhanced integration of adaptation with
  sustainable development

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Nairobi Work Programme

• Areas of work
• Methods and tools
• Data and observations
• Climate modeling and downscaling
• Climate related risks and extreme events
• Socio-economic information
• Adaptation planning and practices
• Research technologies for adaptation
• Economic diversification

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Nairobi Work Programme

• Expectations and challenges
• Explicit recognition of the importance needs
  for actions to enhance the technical
  methodological basis for adaptation, and for
  fostering and cooperation and joint work
• will promote implementation of practical
  adaptation actions on a more sound basis,
  including mainstreaming of adaptation with
  national development plans
• The NWP is planned to engage a broad range of
  organizations in its implementation in a
  structured way, including undertaking of their
  own activities stimulate activities on
  adaptation at different levels

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Nairobi Work Programme Involvement of relevant
organizations in its implementation

• Participation of organizations,institutions
  etc is a key element in the implementation of the
  NWP
• Relevant organizations are invited to take part
  in the activities of the NWP, use the the NWP,
  its activities outcomes to help incorporate
  adaptation into their own activities
• Several organizations/entities have expressed
  willingness to contribute to the NWP and have
  provided concept papers or plans on how they
  intend to participate in the NWP.
• The UNFCCC secretariat will also engage a wide
  range of organizations in the implementation of
  the NWP around each of its main activities
  (workshops, expert meetings, submissions).

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Nairobi Work Programme Possible ways to
participate

• Use the main areas of work the NWP to help choose
  the most useful activities for increasing
  adaptation in relation to the work priorities
  of your organization
• make use of the outputs of the NWP, e.g. as
  source of information, when agreeing on the
  direction of future work
• Contribute to the UNFCCC secretariats activities
  by submitting relevant information under the main
  areas of work
• Promote / fund research that supports the
  objectives of the work programme.

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Nairobi Work Programme Possible ways to
participate (cont.)

• Possible first steps (examples)
• Climate related risks and extreme events submit
  views information on experiences, abilities,
  gaps, needs, constraints
• by 23 February 2007
• Adaptation planning and practices Structured
  submissions on adaptation approaches, strategies,
  practices and technologies for adaptation at the
  regional, national and local levels in different
  sectors, experiences, needs and concerns.
• by 15 May 2007
• (UNFCCC Parties relevant organizations
  submissions to UNFCCC secretariat)

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Other on-going processes, activities and
products related to adaptation under the UNFCCC

• - Compendium on methods tools to evaluate
  impacts of, and vulnerability and adaptation to,
  climate change
• provides information about existing
  methodologies and toolkits for assessment and
  planning for adaptation and ways to obtaining
  them
• Reporting on expected impacts of climate change
  and related adaptation activities in the National
  communications (following agreed guidelines)
• Development of NAPAs in least developed countries
  
• Regional workshops to be completed by May 2007
  next steps to be identified in May

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Possible ways for cooperation and synergies
between UNFCCC and WHC

• At national level
• Liaison and coordination with climate change NFPs
  on climate change activities that are of interest
  to WHC
• Use of reporting channels under the UNFCCC
  (National communications, NAPAs for LDCs) to
  raise awareness of the concerns of WHC vis-à-vis
  the impacts of climate change
• Use of existing products, guidelines etc might
  facilitate integration of WHC concern into the
  broad climate change context
• Make use of high attention given to adaptation in
  the context of the NWP to foster adaptation
  activities on the ground (national local level)

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Possible ways for cooperation and synergies
between UNFCCC and WHC

• At international level
• Sharing of relevant information through
  secretariats
• Participation in UNFCCC process (e.g. side events
  to raise awareness information sharing)
• Active participation in contribution to the NWP
  identify objectives/main areas of work within
  WHC that are synergetic with those of the NWP
• E.g. by
• a) participating in specific activities
  (submission, papers, workshops)
• b) MOST IMPORTANT raising awareness and
  altering work in response to attaining the goals
  and outcomes of the NWP.

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THANK YOU United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) Bonn, Germany (E-mail
rlichte_at_unfccc.int) All information referred
to in this presentation is available at
www.unfccc.int