Tiempo Climate Cyberlibrary

To implement adaptation in developing countries beyond just a short-term perspective, given that further future climate impacts can no longer be avoided, international policies need to provide a functioning, actionoriented framework to ensure further scaling-up, predictability and continuity. This requires a paradigm shift from how adaptation has been dealt with so far.

One important task that such an adaptation action framework needs to fulfil is to strengthen international activities to facilitate adaptation planning and implementation at national levels and promote the exchange of knowledge and experience gained. Moreover, the framework should ensure that easy, predictable and direct support (finance, technical expertise, capacity building) can be delivered, prioritizing those who are most vulnerable - communities, people and countries - and that measures to ensure ecosystem functions are maintained.

Furthermore, in order to be successful, the framework needs to build on key principles. First, it must ensure maximum national, local and community level involvement and ownership over all aspects of adaptation planning and implementation and protection of the rights of indigenous people. Second, it should promote an integrated approach that enhances the climate resilience especially of the poor, in particular women, children, indigenous people and the disproportionately affected. Finally, it must include proper monitoring and evaluation of support and actions, building on in-country experience, to ensure effective adaptation planning and implementation.

The current approach to an international adaptation response is far away from what is required. Resources provided by developed countries are not even sufficient to cover the most urgent adaptation needs, lack the required predictability and are channelled through a very fragmented funding structure. Developing countries are supported (and asked) to prepare plans and strategies, such as the National Adaptation Programmes of Action, but can never be sure whether their implementation will receive sufficient and predictable support.

Any agreement on adaptation under the climate treaty should be measured against these key deliverables, how far it contributes to achieving an appropriate international response, or, in a negative case, how far it locks into a state of low ambition on adaptation for the coming decades. Of course, any such response will not be effective without the required development paradigm shift in developed as well as developing countries, namely to pursue a low carbon development pathway in order to deliver the necessary emission cuts.