Need framework on global goal on adaptation – poor countries

COP27 Sharm Al-Sheikh, Egypt2

Sharm el-Sheikh, 11 Nov (Prerna Bomzan) – Developing countries made a firm call for the establishment of a framework on the global goal on adaptation (GGA) as a substantive outcome at the ongoing negotiations under the Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh work programme on the GGA.

(A comprehensive two-year Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh work programme on the GGA was established and launched at the third meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Paris Agreement in Glasgow in 2021 and is referred to in decision 7/CMA.3).

At the first informal consultation held on 9 Nov, Botswana speaking for the G77 and China said the group needs a “substantive outcome from this session” and that “as a starting point, a framework will need to be established under the GGA, which will have clearly defined dimensions/focus areas, sectors, cross-cutting approaches, indicators/metrics/targets as appropriate, and sources of information/input that will enable the full and sustained implementation of the Paris Agreement (PA) towards achieving the GGA with the view to enhancing adaptation action and support, including for reviewing overall progress made in achieving the GGA”, it stated.

It emphasised that the framework will need to be reviewed in order to enhance/improve it, prior to the second cycle of the global stocktake (GST), taking into account the outcome/experience/challenges/gaps of the first GST (to be held in 2023).

Botswana also provided a reflection on the work undertaken in 2022 under the GGA work programme which comprised of four workshops. “We started work quite late so this has led to the workshops to be scheduled in a manner that does not allow for sufficient time between workshops for reflection and preparation. This has been a challenge to the Chairs of the Subsidiary Bodies (SBs), the secretariat, Parties and observers in effectively engaging in the negotiations.”

Further, it highlighted some of the challenges faced by developing countries that would need to be “rectified going forward” which included “the limited time in considering reports and concept notes before the workshops and in preparing of submissions, the short gap between workshops which does not allow enough time for reflections, limitation to in- person participations, challenges with virtual modalities. These need to be addressed in the substantive and process guidance we will be providing at CMA4 or else such challenges could undermine the delivery of the outcomes expected for CMA5”.

On the substance of the issue, it pointed out that the group was expecting that “commonalities would have been identified and presented towards advancing the work of the GGA” and that “this would have helped Parties in further elaborating those commonalities and areas of convergence, to advance work in a substantive manner towards the attainment of the objectives of the GGA work program as established under decision 7/CMA.3”.

“Through this informal consultation, we would like to learn from the past challenges and provide guidance to the upcoming work in 2023. Going forward we would like to have a hands on engagement and a retreat-like approach where participants start narrowing down conversations”, Botswana underscored and further shared that the G77 and China groups and parties within the group would provide views on how to advance work at this session.

During the three informal consultations held over 9 Nov and 10 Nov, the G77 and China sub-groups echoed the demand for the establishment of the GGA framework. Views were expressed by Argentina for Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay (ABU) and Independent Alliance of Latin American and the Caribbean nations (AILAC); Maldives for Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS); Saudi Arabia for Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDC); Zambia for Africa Group; Chile for AILAC; Kuwait for Arab Group and Angola for Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

Zambia for the Africa Group emphasised that the group is ready to deep dive and not work in exploratory mode, and presented a very comprehensive proposal detailing the areas, sectors, cross-cutting considerations, and the principles for the establishment of the GGA framework, as follows:

“a. Areas –  i. Impacts, risks and vulnerabilities, ii. Planning, iii. Implementation of actions, iv. Means of implementation and support for developing countries;

b. Sectors – Water, Agriculture and Food; Cities and Settlements and Infrastructures, Health, Poverty and livelihoods, Ecosystems;

c. Cross cutting considerations including indigenous knowledge, and other considerations as appropriate;

d. Principles: Principles of the Convention and the PA to reflect equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDRRC), in light of different national circumstances, country driven, recognizing of Article 7.2 of the PA recognizing that adaptation is a challenge faced by all at various levels (local, subnational, national regional and international) and that it requires a long-term response”.

Further, it presented the “high level global indicators and targets” of the proposed GGA framework which would be “inclusive of but not limited to:

“I. Enhancing the capacity to adapt and build resilience of global populations by 50% focusing on enhancing the adaptation capacity of populations in developing countries by 2030;

II. 100 percent of population vulnerable to the effects of climate change reduced by 2050;

III. 100 percent of global population having access to early warning systems by 2025;

IV. 100 percent of countries (have) developed adaptation planning by 2025;

V. Substantial progress on the implementation of adaptation priorities communicated through the national adaptation plans (NAPs), nationally determined contributions (NDCs), Adaptation Communications (ACs) and national communications (NCs) by 2030.”

Zambia also stressed the importance of linkages to the GST and contributing effectively “through capturing progress, highlighting gaps, assessing adaptation action and support needs for developing countries, identifying challenges, and areas of improvement, in order to continue to work towards the achievement of the GGA and raising adaptation ambition of action and support”.

It further detailed the themes, timeline and modalities of future workshops to be conducted in 2023 under the GGA work programme. At the outset, it had expressed concerns in the delayed start in implementing the GGA work programme in 2022 when in Glasgow (in 2021) it was decided that work would start immediately.

Zambia also called for additional work, one of which entailed inviting the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) “to prepare a special report on the GGA on adaptation, including developing a baseline study for clear measurement of targets for impacts and vulnerability, adaptation needs and costs in the context of the 7th Assessment Report, including updating its 1994 technical guidelines for assessing climate change impacts and adaptation”. It had prefaced the group’s views with the fact that adaptation is an “overarching priority for Africa” since the continent has “no option but to adapt”.

It strongly urged the co-facilitators of the informal consultations to “compile all views and options expressed by all Parties and groups into one draft and not exercise their own judgement in preparing a textual proposal”. The informal consultations are being co-facilitated by Kishan Kurmarsingh (Trinidad and Tobago) and Mattias Frumerie (Sweden).

Saudi Arabia for the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDC) also presented a detailed proposal on the proposed GGA framework, providing the following elements:

“a. Dimensions of processes: i. Vulnerabilities and risks assessment, ii. Planning, iii. Implementation, iv. Gaps and needs on finance, capacity building and technology transfer, v. Monitoring and evaluation systems;

b. Themes named: Terrestrial and freshwater ecosystem, oceans and coastal ecosystems, water, food, cities, settlements, health, and infrastructure;

c. Cross-cutting aspects to be identified, including: gender responsive, equity and social justice, ecosystem-based adaptation, multi-scale viz. national, local, regional and transboundary, indigenous peoples’ knowledge and cosmos bio-centric approaches, as appropriate, and traditional and local knowledge.

d. Sources of information pursuant to para 19/CMA.1: (a) Reports and communications from Parties, in particular those submitted under the PA and the Convention; (b) Reports of the IPCC; (c) Reports of the Subsidiary Bodies; (d) Reports from relevant constituted bodies and forums and other institutional arrangements under or serving the PA and/or the Convention; (e) Synthesis reports by the Secretariat; (f) Relevant reports from United Nations agencies and other international organisations which should be supportive of the UNFCCC process; (g) Voluntary submissions from Parties, including on inputs to inform equity considerations under the  GST; (h) Relevant reports from regional groups and institutions; (i) Submissions from non-Party stakeholders and UNFCCC observer organisations”.

It further underscored for a roadmap in terms of timeline, modalities, and themes of future workshops under the second year of the GGA work programme in 2023 and further, called for a “balance” of work at this session of address programme in relation to the mitigation work programme.

As a substantive outcome of this session, it also presented a decision text proposal as follows: “Decides that the GGA is to address the developing countries’ current and projected  adaptation needs, including finance, capacity building and technology transfer, to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience, and reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts and risk in the context of the temperature increase to well below 2 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degree Celsius from pre-industrial levels. Reflecting equity, and CBDRRC in light of different national circumstances and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty”.

The co-facilitators are expected to present a draft decision text on the GGA work programme for consideration to Parties on 11 Nov.

It is to be noted that the United States and Switzerland have explicitly expressed their skepticism about establishing the GGA framework at this session stating that it is “premature” for a substantial decision. - Third World Network