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A Guiding Frame for Mainstreaming Biodiversity and Development into National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) Regional Biodiversity Programme, Asia
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A Guiding Frame for MainstreamingBiodiversity and Development into
National Adaptation Programmes ofAction (NAPAs)
Regional Biodiversity Programme, Asia
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The designation of geographical entities in this book, andthe presentation of the material, do not imply the expressionof any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN concerningthe legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of itsadministration, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiersor boundaries.
The views expressed in this publication do not necessarilyreflect those of IUCN.
Published by IUCN - THE WORLD CONSERVATIONUNION
Copyright 2004, International Union for the Conservationof Nature and Natural Resources
Reproduction of this publication foreducational or other non-commercial purposesis authorised without prior written permissionfrom the copyright holder provided the sourceis fully acknowledged.
Reproduction of this publication for resale orother commercial purposes is prohibited priorto written permission of the copyright holder.
Citation A Guiding Frame for MainstreamingBiodiversity and Development into NationalAdaptation Programme of Action (NAPA)
IUCN - Regional Biodiversity Programme,Asia, Sri Lanka.
ISBN 955-8177-36-9
Copies from IUCN Regional Biodiversity Programme, Asia53, Horton Place, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka.
Printed by Karunaratne & Sons Ltd. 67, UDA IndustrialEstate, Katuwana Road, Homagama, Sri Lanka.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Background to the Rio ConventionsThe Rio Conventions 1Planning Processes, Parties and Relevant Meetings 8Joint Liaison Group 9Implementation of key decisions 11
Chapter 2 National Adaptation Programmes of ActionWhat are NAPAs? 16Criteria for identifying LDCs 17Developing a NAPA 18Progress of NAPA development in LDCs 25
Chapter 3 Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Climate ChangeMitigation and Adaptation ActivitiesCurrent and future impacts of climate change on ecosystems 30Maintaining biological options for adaptation–integrating biodiversity into adaptation andmitigation projects 31Guidelines for mainstreaming biodiversity intoadaptation and mitigation strategies 40
Chapter 4 Integrating synergies among Rio MEAsand NAPAIdentifying and building on interlinkages 43Synergies among MEAs and NAPA 47Guidelines at the national level 48
Chapter 5 Mainstreaming Poverty and Development intoNAPAMainstreaming risks of climate change into NAPA 51Guidelines for mainstreaming Poverty andDevelopment into NAPA 55
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Table 2: Status of NAPA implementation inselected LDCs 27
Table 3: Possible adaptation strategies envisaged byindividual Rio instruments 39
Table 4: Linkages and complementarities–overlappingrequirments of the Parties to theRio agreements 46
Figure 1: Main steps in participatory process ofdeveloping NAPA 18
Figure 2: Completing the six sections of NAPA 21Figure 3: Criteria for prioritization in NAPA 23Figure 4: Process of achieving synergies among the
Rio conventions 43
Case Studies:Box 1 Facts about the Convention on Biological
Diversity 4Box 2 Iceland conserves soil, sequesters carbon and
rehabilitates habitat 32Box 3 Protecting world heritage
site while mitigating climate changeand helping rural Nicaraguans 33
Box 4 Mitigation and improving livelihoods inCuba’s poorest region 34
Box 5 Mangrove restoration-potential for multiplebeneifts in Vietnam and Sri Lanka 35
Box 6 Rehabilitating watersheds to improve livelihoods,now and in the Future: India 36
Box 7 Preserving agricultural options:Agrobiodiversity and climate change adaptation 37
Tables, Figures and Boxes
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Box 8 Protected areas – planning for climate change 38Box 9 International initiatives: seeking synergies
between MEAs 47Box 10 Environmental Management
Strategies: Bangladesh 53Box 11 Vulnerability and adaptation Challenges: Africa 54Box 12 Drinking water for small island nations 54
References 58Abbreviations 60
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Foreword
In 1992, at the Rio Earth Summit the internationalcommunity responded to pressing global environmentalproblems and adopted the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), theConvention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and agreed tostart negotiations for what later became the United NationsConvention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), all withthe overarching goal of achieving sustainable development.Important linkages and potentials for synergy existbetween the three conventions. Climate change anddesertification/land degradation can adversely affectnatural resources and ecosystems thus decreasingbiological diversity. At the same time, conservation andmanagement of biodiversity can increase ecosystems’resilience thus lowering their vulnerability to climatechange.
One of the identified areas for possible synergies isadaptation to the adverse effects of climate change, whichis a necessity regardless of the level of action taken tomitigate global warming. Activities that promoteadaptation to climate change can also contribute to theconservation and sustainable use of biodiversity andsustainable land management. So far the UNFCCCprocess has progressed farthest in the implementation ofadaptation activities in least developed countries (LDCs),whereby a process to prepare and implement NationalAdaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) has beenestablished to help communicate the urgent andimmediate needs of LDCs relating to adaptation.
NAPAs offer opportunities to identify and utilize synergiesbetween the three Rio conventions. In accordance withthe NAPA guidelines, NAPAs should build upon existingplans such as National Biodiversity Strategies and Action
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Plans (NBSAPs) under CBD; National Action Plans (NAPs)under UNCCD as well as other sustainable developmentplans and poverty reduction strategies. Given that allrelevant stakeholders are involved during the preparationof NAPAs, a holistic bottom-up approach focussing onvulnerable livelihoods and ecosystems can be ensured thusenhancing the utilization of synergies.
The search for synergy between the three Rio conventionsis generally hailed as a desirable initiative. Due tonumerous barriers, however, it often remains challengingin practice to move beyond statements of goodwill and toimplement concrete initiatives, even with modest initialtargets. In the case of NAPAs, a focus on their country-driven character could help promote synergy amongconventions, including the promotion of jointly-implemented activities, and the systematic exchange ofinformation. Given that climate change is a majorchallenge to sustainable development and povertyeradication in LDCs, the economies of which are generallybased on climate-dependent primary commodities, thepursuit of positive linkages among the activities underdifferent MEAs, and even under other broader nationalpriorities, is an essential cornerstone in the promotion ofsustainable development in these countries.
In addition to the NAPAs, other areas remain whereexisting linkages could be strengthened and potentialsynergies should be utilized. This publication provides avaluable contribution towards enhancing joint effortstowards the achievement of the objectives of the UNFCCCand the CBD.
IUCN-Regional Biodiversity Programme (RBP), Asia isworking on issues of synergies among Rio Conventionsusing a local approach to sustainable development. Thispublication is a part of that effort to support national
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adaptation planning based on local needs and to conservenatural resources. We hope that this publication will helpcountries develop their NAPAs in a significant way.
Janos Pasztor Balakrishna PisupatiCoordinator HeadSustainable Development Regional BiodiversityProgramme Programme, AsiaUNFCCC Secretariat, Bonn IUCN -The World
Conservation Union
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Acknowledgements
The Authors thankfully acknowledge Secretariat to the UNFramework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),in particular Mr Janos Pasztor, Mr Yousseff Nasseff andMr Yolando Velasco for their technical comments on thedraft of this publication and for providing the jointForeword. Sincere thanks are due to Dr. N H Ravindranath,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and Dr. Mizan Khan,Vice Chair, LDC Expert Group of UNFCCC for peerreviewing this document. The authors also wish to thankcolleagues at IUCN, in particular Mr Sebastian Winkler,Mr Brett Orlando and Ms Maria Soccorro for theircomments on the draft. Finally a special word of thanks isdue to Dr. Balakrishna Pisupati, Head, IUCN-RegionalBiodiversity Programme, Asia for all the support, guidanceand encouragement.
Drafts of this document were circulated to the participantsat the NAPA Regional Training Workshop for Asia held inBhutan and the Regional Workshop for Africa held inTanzania. Thanks are due to them for some critical inputsinto the draft.
Financial support for this publication has been madepossible through the generous support of the GermanFederal Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ).
AuthorsColombo 2005 January
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Chapter 1
Introduction to the Rio Conventions
Introduction
The current degree of international consensus on the need toimprove environmental management and reduce poverty islaudable. International commitments within the Conventionon Biological Diversity (CBD), UN Framework Convention onClimate Change (UNFCCC) as well as the UN Convention toCombat Desertification (UNCCD) and the MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs) signify major advances in both theunderstanding of environmental degradation and its links topoverty, and a strong commitment to improve environmentalmanagement and, in doing so, improve the biological integrityof the earth’s ecosystems.
Despite overlaps among the goals of the conventions and theimportance of capitalizing on potential synergies, much workremains to be done to strengthen linkages and implementsynergies. This document addresses these issues of synergies,focusing upon mainstreaming biodiversity and developmentobjectives into National Adaptation Programmes of Action(NAPAs) - documents that are being developed by least-developed countries (LDCs) to address their urgent andimmediate climate change adaptation needs. The main objectiveof developing a guiding frame is to influence policy makers intheir decision-making and to encourage best practices throughbiodiversity in adapting and mitigating to climate change inLeast Developed Countries (LDCs) using National AdaptationProgrammes of Action (NAPA).
The Rio Conventions
The UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)held in 1992 (also known as the Rio Earth Summit), was the first
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major step of the international community to use a coordinatedeffort to address global environmental problems. The outcomesof the UNCED included the Rio Declaration on Environment andDevelopment, the Agenda 21 Action Programme and theformation of the Commission for Sustainable Development(CSD). The UNCED led to the adoption of the UNFCCC, the CBDand the Forestry Principles.
United Nations Framework Convention on ClimateChange (UNFCCC)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) wasestablished under UN auspices in 1988 in order to provide ascientific assessment on climate change. Its findings, publishedin its first assessment report in 1990, prompted the negotiationsthat resulted in the UNFCCC.
The UNFCCC, signed by 153 countries and the EuropeanCommunity at the Earth Summit in Rio in June 1992, came intoeffect on 21 March 1994. It now has over 188 Parties. UNFCCCrepresents a concerted effort to address global warmingoccurring as a result of human-induced climate change. Itsultimate objective is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrationsin the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerousanthropogenic interference with the climate system. Such a levelshould be achieved within a time frame sufficient to allowecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, in order toensure that food production is not threatened and to enablecontinued economic development.
Under the UNFCCC, both developed and developing countriesagreed to develop and submit inventories on both greenhousegas emissions by sources as well as removals by “sinks” (suchas forests which absorb carbon dioxide) and report on measurestaken to implement the UNFCCC. Parties should also adoptnational climate change mitigation programmes and adaptationstrategies, promote technology transfer, co-operate on scientificand technical research, and promote public awareness,education and training.
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The convention makes several references to the special situationof developing countries and LDCs (Articles 4.8 and 4.9 of theConvention), highlighting their heightened vulnerability to theadverse impacts of climate change. Beyond the guiding principleof “common but differentiated responsibilities and capabilities”(requiring developed countries to take the lead in combatingclimate change) other principles set out in the convention dealwith the special needs of developing countries for furtheringeconomic development and the importance of encouragingsustainable development. Furthermore, the convention calls forthe application of the precautionary principle.
According to Article 4, certain developed countries shall providenew and additional financial resources to cover (i) the full costsrelated to developing countries inventory and reportingobligations and (ii) the agreed full incremental costs incurred bydeveloping countries in the implementation of their othercommitments. For this purpose, the convention works with theGlobal Environmental Facility (GEF).
To supplement support provided by the GEF Trust Fund, twonew funds have been established under the UNFCCC. These arethe Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) and the Least DevelopedCountries Fund (LDCF). Furthermore, a political declaration wasmade by the EU and several other developed countries at theresumed sixth session of the Conference of the Parties in Bonn inJuly 2001 in which the group pledged USD 410 million per yearby 2005 in climate change funding for developing countries.
Kyoto Protocol (KP)
At the UNFCCC Third Conference of Parties (COP), held in Kyotoin December 1997, 160 nations met to negotiate legally bindingemissions reductions for industrialised countries. The KyotoProtocol had a “double trigger” to enter into force. The firsttrigger was the ratification of the Protocol by 55 governments.The second trigger ensured that the ratifying governmentsrepresent developed countries (Annex 1 countries) that accountfor at least 55% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions at the1990 baseline.
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Facts about the Conventionon Biological Diversity (CBD)Box 1
• Over 150 Governments signed the binding document at theRio Conference in December 1992.
• Entered into force on 29 December 1993 and there are over175 signatories to date.
• Main goalsoThe conservation of biological diversityoSustainable use of its componentsoSharing the benefits arising from the commercial and otherutilisation of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way
• It recognises for the first time that the conservation ofbiological diversity is a “common concern of human kind”and an integral part of the development process.
• Offers decision maker guidance based on the precautionaryprinciple that where there is a threat of significant reductionor loss of biological diversity, lack of full scientific certaintyshould not be used as a reason for postponing measures toavoid or minimise such as threat.
To date, over 128 countries have ratified the Kyoto Protocol.Russia, with its 17.4% of 1990 emission levels, fully ratified theprotocol surpassing the 55% threshold and KP will enter intoforce on 16th of February 2005. This would result in the bindingemission reductions for 37 of the Annex 1 countries requiringthem to cut their carbon dioxide emissions by an average of5.2% below 1990 emissions levels by the first commitment period.(between 2008-2012).
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
The UNCED also paved the way to the first global agreement onthe conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity,known as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) whichgained rapid and widespread acceptance.
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While past conservation efforts were aimed at protecting particularspecies and habitats, the CBD recognizes that all ecosystems, speciesand genetic resources must be used for the benefit of humans.However, this should be done in a way and at a rate that does notlead to the long-term decline of biological diversity.
The CBD has three main goals (Box 1): the conservation ofbiodiversity, the sustainable use of biological resources, and thesharing of benefits arising from commercial and otherutilizations of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way. Itlinks traditional conservation efforts to the economic goal of usingbiological resources sustainably.
The CBD also offers decision-makers guidance based on theprecautionary principle, that where there is a threat of significantreduction or loss of biological diversity, a lack of full scientificcertainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measuresto avoid or minimize such a threat. The CBD acknowledges thatsubstantial investments are required to conserve biologicaldiversity and also recognizes that conservation will bringsignificant environmental, economic and social benefits in return.
Some of the many issues dealt with under the CBD includemeasures and incentives for the conservation and sustainableuse of biological diversity; regulated access to genetic resources,access to transfer technology including biotechnology, technicaland scientific cooperation, impact assessment, education andpublic awareness, provision of financial resources, and nationalreporting on efforts to implement treaty commitment.
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification(UNCCD)
Desertification is the end result of faulty land use practices anddegradation of land in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas.This is primarily caused by anthropogenic activities coupledwith climatic variations. Desertification does not refer to theexpansion of existing deserts. It occurs because drylandecosystems, which cover over one third of the world’s land area,are extremely vulnerable to over-exploitation and inappropriateland use. Poverty, political instability, deforestation,overgrazing, and bad irrigation practices can all undermine the
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land’s productivity. Over 250 million people are directly affectedby desertification. In addition, some one billion people in overone hundred countries are at risk. These people include many ofthe world’s poorest, most marginalized, and politically weakcitizens. Combating desertification is essential to ensuring thelong-term productivity of inhabited drylands. Unfortunately,past efforts have too often failed, and around the world theproblem of land degradation continues to worsen. Recognizingthe need for a fresh approach, 179 governments have joined theUnited Nations Convention to Combat Desertification as ofMarch 2002. This Convention aims to promote effective actionthrough innovative local programmes and supportiveinternational partnerships. The treaty acknowledges that thestruggle to protect drylands will be a long one - the causes ofdesertification are many and complex, ranging from internationaltrade patterns to unsustainable land management practices. Tocombat desertification, real and difficult changes will have to bemade, both at the international and the local levels(www.unccd.int).
The Convention is termed the ‘people-centred convention’because of its emphasis on livelihood issues that affect poorpeople. The Convention encourages governments to establishnational action programmes (NAPs) in co-operation with localNGOs and with the help of donors. Although most countrieshave accepted or ratified this Convention, thus far it has fewerresources to implement its work programme than the other Rioconventions.
Linkages
The aim of the CBD of encouraging the conservation andsustainable use of biological resources creates an important linkto the UNFCCC. The use of natural resources, for example inforestry, agriculture, and energy production, can lead togreenhouse gas emissions when natural greenhouse gas sinksare destroyed. The UNFCCC promotes the protection and theenhancement of greenhouse gas sinks and reservoirs and thesustainable use of natural resources.
In addition, the introduction of renewable energy technologieslike solar, wind and hydropower is encouraged as a means of
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reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These technologies can alsoreduce pressure on land and forests for harvesting of biomassfuels. However, these renewable energy technologies can alsohave negative implications for biodiversity. Solar and windenergy often require large tracts of land and hydropower oftenrequires the inundation of large areas of land, leading to habitatloss, and in the case of hydropower, frequently leading tomercury contamination.
The CBD and UNFCCC also have strong linkages to sustainabledevelopment objectives. The continued progress of poverty-reduction initiatives requires communities to be able to adapt tochanging climatic conditions and successfully mitigate thenegative effects of climate change whilst ensuring that theadaptation capacities of humans and ecosystems are not exceeded.The Conservation of biodiversity and the maintenance ofecosystem services is critical to the livelihoods of all people, butis particularly vital to poor communities whose incomes arestrongly dependent upon their natural environment.
There are critical links between UNCCD and the other Rioconventions. In many regions climate change is expected toexacerbate the problem of desertification, with implications forlocal livelihoods and sustainable development. Links tobiodiversity are also apparent, as protecting ground cover andbiodiversity is important in preventing desertification, andinitiatives to reverse the effects of desertification rely upon theuse of biological capital.
The text of the UNCCD refers frequently to sustainabledevelopment, climate change, biological diversity, waterresources, energy sources, food security, and socio-economicfactors. Recognizing that the links between these issues anddesertification are often not understood, the UNCCD emphasizesthe need to coordinate desertification-related activities with theresearch efforts and response strategies inspired by these otherconcerns.
The need to address vulnerability and promote good governanceis also addressed in the UNCCD. The UNCCD has facilitated thecreation of programmes of action and enhanced the capacities ofinstitutions which can serve to implement the UNFCCC and
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CBD provisions. Article 8 in the UNCCD addresses relationshipswith other conventions, specifically in conducting jointprogrammes in the fields of research, training, systematicobservation and information collection and exchange.
Planning Processes, Parties and Relevant Meetings
Planning
The first step in the implementation of the Rio conventions is todevelop planning documents which review the current statusof resources and prioritise on-the-ground activities. These plansare termed National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans(NBSAPs) under the CBD and National Action Plans (NAPs)under the UNCCD. Under the UNFCCC, the LDCs are providedthe opportunity to develop National Adaptation Programmesof Action (NAPAs) while all Parties to this convention arerequired to develop National Communications (NatComs).
The three Rio conventions also require parties to developstrategies and action plans to implement the provisions anddecisions of COP and countries have to submit regular NationalReports. However, these reports do not often require nor encouragecountries to address cross-convention synergies in bothdevelopment and implementation of strategies and action plans.
Status of planning related documents
Several countries have already developed NBSAPs under theCBD. Many of them are being revised and having theirimplementing options revisited. It is critical that NBSAPs addressissues of climate change and desertification, and provideguidelines on how these tasks should be developed.
Many LDCs have already submitted national communications.Most LDCs are developing or initiating the development ofNAPAs. However, the exact methods of development and theelements of NAPA are still unclear regarding how to integratebiodiversity and desertification concerns into NAPAs as well ashow to mainstream climate change into development planning.
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Action plans developed by countries under the UNCCD oftenfail to address the issues of climate change and its role indesertification, and the role of biodiversity in mitigatingdesertification. Supporting the implementation of UNCCD withsynergistic action dealing with climate change mitigation andbiodiversity conservation will help to achieve & maximise thebenefits & results of these activities, which would not be possibleotherwise if each of these activities are undertaken individually.
Conference of Parties
The three Rio conventions hold regular Conferences of Parties(COPs) every 12-18 months. The COPs make decisions on policyissues related to the convention, adapt specific work programmesand set budgets and secretariat staffing levels. They can alsomake amendments to the basic texts, although these have to beendorsed by special procedures. Although the procedures forthe conventions suggest decisions should be voted upon, inmany cases the parties to the conventions have not been able toagree upon rules, and as a result the COPs often operate almostentirely on the basis of consensus, which makes progress slow.In between COPs, there are meetings of subsidiary bodies toconsider scientific and technical issues or questions ofimplementation.
Joint Liaison Group (JLG)
A joint liaison group (JLG) was formed between the three Rioconventions with the objective of enhancing coordination andexplore options for further cooperation among the threeConventions, such as the possibility of joint work plans, jointworkshops etc. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands has beeninvited to participate in JLG meetings, as appropriate, and itscontinuous involvement in the JLG has recently been encouragedby the UNFCCC’s SBSTA (SBSTA 20, June 2004). Thematic areasof common interest that have been addressed in the context ofcooperation among Conventions and also within the JLG are thefollowing:
• Development and transfer of technologies• Education and outreach• Research and systematic observation
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• Capacity building• Impacts and adaptation• Reporting
As one contribution to enhance coordination, among otheractivities, a joint calendar of events relevant to the three Rioconventions was published and posted on all three websites. Inresponse to a request from the Parties to the UNFCCC duringCOP-7 in Marrakech, a workshop addressing synergies amongthe conventions was organized by the UNFCCC secretariat incooperation with the other members of the JLG in Finland inearly July 2003. The workshop addressed ways to improvecooperation and develop synergies and linkages among theconventions, including improved cooperation andcommunication among national focal points to the conventions,and discussed options to increase cooperation and capturesynergy among the conventions using existing channels in areassuch as technology transfer, education and outreach, capacitybuilding, research and systematic observation, reporting, andimpacts and adaptation.
UNFCCC COP Decisions on Adaptation
UNFCCC Article 4, Paragraph 9, deals with matters relating toLDCs. The Conference of the Parties (COP) at its seventh session(decision 5) recognized the particular vulnerability of LDCs toclimate change, and the human, infrastructure and economicconditions which limit their capacity to adapt to climate changeand participate in climate change processes. In decision 28 (COP7, annex), guidelines for the preparation of national adaptationprogrammes of action (NAPAs) were adopted. In the samedecision, the COP invited Parties to make submissions toimprove the NAPA guidelines. Decision 29/CP.7 established theLeast Developed Countries Experts Group (LEG).
The UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol have already establishedmany provisions that support adaptation to climate changeimpacts in developing countries. These are the following:
• Article 4.1: Parties are committed to formulate,implement national and, where appropriate, regionalprograms to facilitate adequate adaptation.
11
A G
uidi
ng F
ram
e fo
r M
ains
trea
min
g Bi
odiv
ersi
ty a
ndD
evel
opm
ent
into
Nat
iona
l Ada
ptat
ion
Prog
ram
mes
of A
ctio
n (N
APA
s)
• Article 4.4: Developed countries shall assist thedeveloping countries in meeting the costs of adaptation.
• Article 4.8: Parties are to give full consideration to theneeds of countries with special characteristics (specifies8 disadvantaged areas and countries including low-lyingcoastal areas and fossil fuel-dependent economies).
• Article 4.9: Parties shall take full account of the LDC needsin their actions with regard to funding and transfer oftechnology.
• Article 12.8 of the Protocol: The COP shall ensure that ashare of CDM [Clean Development Mechanism] proceedsis used to assist developing countries that are particularlyvulnerable to meet the costs of adaptation.
The specific needs of LDCs are referred in UNFCCC Article 4.8and 4.9, which considers vulnerability of coastal, arid, semi-arid, fragile mountains and other areas liable to floods anddrought in low lying Small Island Developing States (SIDS). TheCOP through its decisions 11/CP.1, 3/CP.3, 1/CP.4, 5/CP.4, 12/CP.5and 5/CP.7, is determined to protect the climate system forpresent and future generations through adaptive measureswherever applicable.
Implementation of Key Decisions by Rio Conventions
The decisions taken at the Conference of Parties (COP) of theindividual conventions on key thematic areas are under differentstages of implementation. It is a useful exercise to review and doa comparative analysis of some of the decisions taken at the COPs,as a benchmark and as an indicator of synergies among the threeRio Conventions (Table 1).
12A G
uidi
ng F
ram
e fo
r M
ains
trea
min
g Bi
odiv
ersi
ty a
ndD
evel
opm
ent
into
Nat
iona
l Ada
ptat
ion
Prog
ram
mes
of A
ctio
n (N
APA
s)
CO
P D
ecis
ions
CB
DU
NFC
CC
UN
CC
D
Syne
rgie
s an
din
terl
inka
ges
wit
h ot
her
orga
nisa
tion
san
dco
nven
tions
Real
ises
that
it is
nec
essa
ry to
app
lyth
e ec
osys
tem
app
roac
h in
nat
iona
lpo
lici
es a
nd l
egis
lati
on,
and
toin
tegr
ate
the
appr
oach
in th
emat
ican
d cr
oss -
sect
oral
pro
gram
mes
, with
a vi
ew to
facil
itate
the
inte
grat
ion
…hi
ghli
ghts
an
d re
-aff
irm
s th
eim
port
ance
of
coop
erat
ion
and
the
need
to
desi
gn a
nd i
mpl
emen
tm
utua
lly s
uppo
rtiv
e ac
tiviti
es w
ithot
her
conv
enti
ons,
int
erna
tion
alor
gani
satio
ns a
nd in
itiat
ives
.(D
ecis
ion
VI/
20)
Aff
irm
s th
at t
here
is
a ne
ed f
oren
hanc
ed c
oop
erat
ion
amon
g th
eU
NFC
CC
, CBD
and
the
UN
CC
D, w
ithth
e ai
m o
f ens
urin
g th
e en
viro
nmen
tal
inte
grit
y of
the
con
vent
ions
and
pro
mot
ing
syne
rgie
s u
nder
th
eco
mm
on o
bjec
tive
of
sust
aina
ble
dev
elop
men
t,
in
ord
er
to
avoi
ddu
plic
atio
n of
eff
orts
, str
engt
hen
join
tef
fort
s an
d us
e av
aila
ble
reso
urce
sm
ore
effi
cien
tly.
(Dec
isio
n 13
/CP.
8)
Rec
ogni
ses
that
syn
ergi
es a
mon
gsc
ient
ific
and
tech
nolo
gica
l bod
ies
are
of
fund
amen
tal
imp
orta
nce
and
requ
ests
to
in
clu
de
land
/soi
lde
grad
atio
n, a
nd it
s lin
kage
s to
oth
eren
viro
nmen
tal
conv
enti
ons.
Enc
oura
ge
Par
ties
to
sh
are
info
rmat
ion,
ex
per
ienc
e an
dre
com
men
dati
ons.
(Dec
isio
n 12
/CO
P.6)
Cap
acit
yBu
ildin
gTh
e C
lear
ing-
Hou
se M
echa
nism
(CH
M)
was
cre
ated
to
prom
ote
and
fa
cili
tate
te
chni
cal
and
scie
ntifi
c co
oper
atio
n. In
form
atio
nsy
stem
s an
d
acti
viti
es
wer
ees
tabl
ishe
d at
an
inte
rnat
iona
l,re
gion
al/s
ub-r
egio
nal
leve
ls a
nden
hanc
ed c
oop
erat
ion
amon
gth
em w
ere
pro
mot
ed t
o bu
ild
capa
city
and
the
reby
mee
t th
eob
ject
ives
of
the
CBD
.(D
ecis
ion
II/3
)
An
agre
emen
t was
rea
ched
to p
rovi
deca
pac
ity-
buil
din
g su
pp
ort
for
deve
lopi
ng c
ount
ries
and
eco
nom
ies
in t
rans
ition
(EI
Ts)
and
that
cap
acity
build
ing
shou
ld b
e co
untr
y dr
iven
,le
arni
ng b
y do
ing
and
build
on
exis
ting
activ
ities
and
pro
vide
an
initi
al s
et o
fpr
iori
ty a
reas
for b
oth
sets
of c
ount
ries
incl
udin
g th
e sp
ecifi
c ne
eds
of L
east
Dev
elop
ed C
ount
ries
(LD
Cs)
(Dec
isio
n 2/
CP.
7 an
d 3/
CP.
7)
In
the
guid
elin
es
for
Cap
acit
yD
evel
opm
ent
Init
iati
ve (
CD
I) a
ndN
atio
nal
Cap
acit
y Se
lf A
sses
smen
t(N
CSA
) in
itia
tive
s at
the
cou
ntry
leve
l, pr
iori
ty h
as b
een
on b
uild
ing
inst
itutio
nal a
nd in
divi
dual
cap
aciti
eson
way
s an
d m
eans
of
com
bati
ngde
sert
ifica
tion
thro
ugh
inte
grat
ed la
ndd
egra
dat
ion
asse
ssm
ent,
ea
rly
war
ning
sys
tem
s an
d m
ille
nniu
mec
osys
tem
ass
essm
ent.
(Dec
isio
n 18
/CO
P.6,
19/
CO
P.6)Ta
ble
1C
ompa
rati
ve A
naly
sis o
f Key
Dec
isio
ns Im
plem
ente
d by
the
Thre
e R
io C
onve
ntio
ns
13
A G
uidi
ng F
ram
e fo
r M
ains
trea
min
g Bi
odiv
ersi
ty a
ndD
evel
opm
ent
into
Nat
iona
l Ada
ptat
ion
Prog
ram
mes
of A
ctio
n (N
APA
s)
CO
P D
ecis
ions
CB
DU
NFC
CC
UN
CC
D
Com
mun
icat
ion,
Educ
atio
n an
dPu
blic
Aw
aren
ess
Ado
pts
the
Glo
bal
Init
iati
ve o
nEd
ucat
ion
and
Publ
ic A
war
enes
s,ef
fect
ivel
y pr
omot
e bi
odiv
ersi
tyre
late
d is
sues
thr
ough
the
med
iaan
d
othe
r co
mm
uni
cati
onne
twor
ks n
atio
nall
y… d
evel
opad
equ
ate
cap
acit
y to
d
eliv
erin
itiat
ives
, tak
ing
into
acc
ount
the
spec
ial
need
s of
d
evel
opin
gco
untr
ies,
in p
artic
ular
LD
Cs
and
smal
l is
land
dev
elop
ing
Stat
es(S
IDS)
(Dec
isio
n V
I/19
)
Par
ties
hav
e ag
reed
on
a li
st o
fac
tiviti
es t
hat
coul
d be
und
erta
ken
atth
e na
tiona
l lev
el c
alle
d “t
he N
ew D
elhi
wor
k pr
ogra
mm
e” in
ord
er t
o en
hanc
ecl
imat
e foc
usse
d ed
ucat
ion
and
trai
ning
prog
ram
mes
, inc
reas
e th
e av
aila
bilit
yan
d di
ssem
inat
ion
of i
nfor
mat
ion
toim
prov
e th
e un
ders
tand
ing
and
the
part
icip
atio
n of
the
pub
lic i
n cl
imat
ech
ange
re
late
d
issu
es.
Als
ore
cogn
ises
the
rol
e of
NG
O’s
and
IGO
’s i
n su
ppor
ting
thes
e ac
tiviti
es.
(Dec
isio
n 11
/CP.
8)
Par
ties
hav
e be
en e
ncou
rage
d t
oin
itia
te a
nd e
nhan
ce a
ctiv
itie
s th
atas
sist
im
pro
ved
ec
osys
tem
man
agem
ent,
af
ores
tati
on
and
refo
rest
atio
n th
rou
gh c
omm
uni
tyca
mp
aign
s an
d
awar
enes
spr
ogra
mm
es.
Spec
ial
emph
asis
has
been
to ra
ise
publ
ic a
ttent
ion
to re
duce
rate
s of
def
ores
tatio
n an
d en
cour
age
rege
nera
tion,
re-
grow
th o
f se
mi-a
rid
and
arid
eco
syst
ems,
esp
ecia
lly
inle
ast
deve
lope
d co
untr
ies.
(Dec
isio
n 19
/CO
P.6)
Fina
ncia
lSu
ppor
tG
loba
l E
nvir
onm
enta
l Fa
cili
ty(G
EF) w
ill s
erve
as
the
inst
itutio
nal
stru
ctur
e to
ope
rate
the
fin
anci
alm
echa
nism
und
er t
he C
onve
ntio
nan
d ex
plor
e th
e po
ssib
ilit
y of
prom
otin
g di
vers
e fo
rms
of p
ublic
invo
lvem
ent
and
mor
e ef
fect
ive
colla
bora
tion
am
ong
all
tier
s of
gove
rnm
ent
and
civi
l soc
iety
. The
GEF
pro
vide
s fun
ding
for e
nabl
ing
acti
viti
es.
(Dec
isio
n II
/6)
GEF
was
des
igna
ted
as a
n op
erat
ing
entit
y of
the
finan
cial
mec
hani
sm a
ndth
e C
OP
pro
vid
es u
pdat
ed p
olic
ygu
idan
ce
on
its
clim
ate
chan
geac
tiviti
es a
nd th
e G
EF r
epor
ts b
ack
onan
ann
ual
bas
is.
GE
F is
the
mai
nfu
ndin
g ch
anne
l fo
r cl
imat
e ch
ange
proj
ects
in
deve
lopi
ng c
ount
ries
. A
san
add
itio
nal
guid
ance
to
GEF
LD
CFu
nd a
nd th
e Sp
ecia
l Clim
ate
Cha
nge
Fund
wer
e cr
eate
d.(D
ecis
ion
5/C
P.9)
GE
F d
ecid
es t
o ta
ke a
pp
rop
riat
em
easu
re t
o id
enti
fy,
pre
par
e an
dim
plem
ent
GEF
-fin
ance
d ac
tiviti
es t
oco
mba
t lan
d de
grad
atio
n as
they
rela
teto
bio
dive
rsit
y, c
limat
e ch
ange
and
inte
rnat
iona
l wat
ers.
(Dec
isio
n 6/
CO
P.6)
Tabl
e 1
Com
para
tive
Ana
lysi
s of K
ey D
ecis
ions
Impl
emen
ted
by th
e Th
ree
Rio
Con
vent
ions
14A G
uidi
ng F
ram
e fo
r M
ains
trea
min
g Bi
odiv
ersi
ty a
ndD
evel
opm
ent
into
Nat
iona
l Ada
ptat
ion
Prog
ram
mes
of A
ctio
n (N
APA
s)
Tabl
e 1
Com
para
tive
Ana
lysi
s of K
ey D
ecis
ions
Impl
emen
ted
by th
e Th
ree
Rio
Con
vent
ions
CO
P D
ecis
ions
CB
DU
NFC
CC
UN
CC
D
Tech
nolo
gytr
ansf
erPr
iori
ty i
s ac
cord
ed t
o do
cum
ent
the
pro
cess
of
te
chno
logy
tran
sfer
, hi
ghli
ghti
ng
the
imp
orta
nce
of
biot
echn
olog
y,es
pec
iall
y to
d
evel
opin
gco
untr
ies
as w
ell
as t
o en
able
the
role
of
capa
city
-bui
ldin
g an
d th
epr
ovis
ion
of f
inan
cial
res
ourc
es.
The
se b
ackg
rou
nd d
ocu
men
tssh
ould
als
o c
onsi
der
regi
onal
and
sub-
regi
onal
inp
uts a
nd co
mm
ents
high
ligh
ting
the
key
pri
orit
yis
sues
rela
ting
to o
ppor
tuni
ties
for
and
obst
acle
s to
the
tra
nsfe
r of
tech
nolo
gy(D
ecis
ion
II/4
)
Rec
ogni
ses
the
mea
ning
ful
and
effe
ctiv
e ac
tion
s to
enh
ance
the
impl
emen
tatio
ns o
f te
chno
logy
nee
dsan
d
need
s as
sess
men
ts,
the
deve
lopm
ent
of a
tec
hnol
ogy
tran
sfer
info
rmat
ion
clea
ring
-hou
se t
hat
will
imp
rove
the
eff
ecti
vene
ss o
f th
etr
ansf
er o
f en
viro
nmen
tall
y so
und
tech
nolo
gies
, in
part
icul
ar a
dapt
atio
nte
chno
logi
es,
and
capa
city
bui
ldin
gac
tivi
ties
. T
hese
inc
lude
pra
ctic
alst
eps
to p
rom
ote,
faci
litat
e an
d fin
ance
as a
ppro
pria
te, t
rans
fer
of a
nd a
cces
sto
en
viro
nmen
tall
y so
und
tech
nolo
gies
and
kno
w-h
ow.
(Dec
isio
n 4/
CP.
4 an
d 10
/CP.
8)
Rec
ogni
ses
that
tra
nsfe
r of
mod
ern
tech
niqu
es t
o ci
vil
soci
ety
in a
reas
such
as
ag
ro-f
ores
try,
ag
ro-s
ilvi
past
oral
ism
, com
mun
ity f
ores
try
and
so o
n, a
s an
urg
ent
and
imm
edia
tene
ed.
Tech
niqu
es
of
rain
-wat
erha
rves
ting
and
alt
erna
te s
ourc
e of
ener
gy g
ener
atio
n ar
e th
e ot
her
area
sw
here
tra
nsfe
r of
tec
hnol
ogy
isco
nsid
ered
urg
ent
and
imm
edia
te t
oco
mba
t th
e sp
read
of
dese
rtifi
catio
n.In
add
ition
, an
inte
grat
ed a
ppro
ach
issu
gges
ted
to a
ddre
ss i
ssue
s of
lan
dd
egra
dat
ion,
vu
lner
abil
ity
and
reha
bilit
atio
n.(D
ecis
ion
20/C
OP.
6)M
onito
ring
and
Eval
uatin
g
Iden
tifi
cati
on a
nd m
onit
orin
g of
frag
ile
ecos
yste
ms
and
spec
ies,
impa
ct a
sses
smen
t, ex
chan
ge o
fin
form
atio
n fo
r th
eir
bett
erpr
otec
tion
duri
ng a
nd f
ollo
win
gdi
sast
er.
(Dec
isio
n II
I/10
)
Res
pons
e to
clim
ate
chan
ge s
houl
dbe
co
ord
inat
ed
wit
h so
cial
an
dec
onom
ic
dev
elop
men
t in
an
inte
grat
ed m
anne
r to
avoi
d, a
dapt
and
miti
gate
the
adve
rse
impa
cts w
ith n
ewte
chno
logi
es.
(Dec
isio
n 8/
CP.
3 an
d 9/
CP.
3)
Use
of
Glo
bal
Mec
hani
sm (
GM
) th
aten
able
s be
tter
su
pp
ort
and
part
icip
ator
y ap
proa
ch a
t th
e lo
cal
leve
l and
pro
mot
es re
plic
able
, fle
xibl
epr
ojec
t de
sign
s.(D
ecis
ion
5/C
OP.
6)
15
A G
uidi
ng F
ram
e fo
r M
ains
trea
min
g Bi
odiv
ersi
ty a
ndD
evel
opm
ent
into
Nat
iona
l Ada
ptat
ion
Prog
ram
mes
of A
ctio
n (N
APA
s)
Tabl
e 1
Com
para
tive
Ana
lysi
s of K
ey D
ecis
ions
Impl
emen
ted
by th
e Th
ree
Rio
Con
vent
ions
CO
P D
ecis
ions
CB
DU
NFC
CC
UN
CC
D
Rep
orti
ngR
equ
ires
P
arti
es
to
dev
elop
Nat
iona
l Bi
odiv
ersi
ty S
trat
egie
san
d A
ctio
n Pl
ans
(NB
SAPs
) fo
rth
e co
nser
vatio
n an
d su
stai
nabl
eus
e of
bio
logi
cal
dive
rsity
, with
ase
quen
ce o
f st
eps
take
n to
mee
tth
ese
goal
s of
the
Con
vent
ion.
(Dec
isio
n II
/7 a
nd I
II/9
)
Req
uire
s Pa
rtie
s to
rep
ort o
n th
e st
eps
they
are
tak
ing
to i
mp
lem
ent
the
conv
enti
on
thro
ugh
N
atio
nal
Com
mun
icat
ions
(N
atC
oms)
wit
h a
nati
onal
inv
ento
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f an
trop
ogen
icem
issi
ons
by s
ourc
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psto
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e go
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of t
he C
onve
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he
leas
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co
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ries
(LC
Ds)
may
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ose
to f
irst
dev
elop
Nat
iona
l A
dapt
atio
n Pr
ogra
mm
es o
fA
ctio
n (N
APA
s) t
o ad
dre
ss t
heir
urge
nt a
nd im
med
iate
ada
ptat
ion
need
sto
cli
mat
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to t
heir
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omic
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ate
and
in
crea
sed
vuln
erab
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.(D
ecis
ions
9/C
P.2,
10/C
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4/
CP.
8an
d 8
/CP.
7)
Req
uire
s Pa
rtie
s to
dev
elop
Nat
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lA
dapt
atio
n Pr
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es (
NA
Ps)
toid
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fy t
he f
acto
rs c
ontr
ibut
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tode
sert
ifica
tion
and
prac
tical
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sure
sne
cess
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to c
omba
t de
sert
ific
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d m
itiga
te d
roug
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t sho
uld
spec
ifyth
e re
spec
tive
rol
es o
f go
vern
men
t,lo
cal c
omm
uniti
es a
nd la
nd u
sers
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and
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.U
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and
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ives
and
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to
cont
inue
act
iviti
es o
n th
eL
and
Deg
rad
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n A
sses
smen
t in
Dry
land
s (L
AD
A)
and
the
Mill
eniu
mEc
osys
tem
Ass
essm
ent
(MEA
)(D
ecis
ion
19/C
OP.
6)
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Chapter 2
National Adaptation Programmes of Action
What are NAPAs?
National Adaptation Programmes of Actions (NAPAs) aredocuments specifying a list of priority activities that willcommunicate immediate and urgent needs of LDCs, taking intoaccount their high vulnerability and low adaptive capacity toclimate change. The development of a NAPA document is notonly intended to identify and prioritise urgent adaptation needsof LDCs but also help build capacity for the development ofNatComs and to mainstream adaptation into regulardevelopment planning. An overview of climate variability, andobserved and projected climate change and associated actualand potential adverse effects of climate change should bedocumented. This overview should be based on existing andongoing studies and research, and/or empirical and historicalinformation as well as traditional knowledge.
The main characteristics of a NAPA are that it should be easy tounderstand, action oriented and country driven, and should setclear priorities for urgent and immediate adaptation activitiesidentified by each individual country. These adaptation activitiesand measures will also take into account the national planningprocesses, development goals and other multilateralenvironmental agreements and also identify potential barriersto implementation. The objective of a NAPA is to “serve as asimplified and direct channel of communication for informationrelating to urgent and immediate adaptation needs of LDCs”(UNFCCC, 2002). The key outcome of the NAPA process is theidentification of activities that should be pursued immediately,because further delay in implementing the activities could leadto increased vulnerability, or higher costs for delayedimplementation. It has been highlighted by the UNFCCC thatNAPAs should have a bottom-up action plan, not be just anotherlengthy document that joins the ranks of other action plans. The
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end product should be a concise and well justified list of actionsand projects to address priority vulnerabilities for the countryor to build capacity to address those vulnerabilities.
Criteria for identifying LDCs
In its latest triennial review of the list of Least DevelopedCountries in 2003, the Economic and Social Council of the UnitedNations used the following three criteria for the identification ofthe LDCs, as proposed by the Committee for Development Policy(CDP):
• a low-income criterion, based on a three-year averageestimate of the gross domestic product per capita (under$750 for inclusion, above $900 for graduation);
• a human resource weakness criterion, involving acomposite Augmented Physical Quality of Life Index(APQLI) based on indicators of: (a) nutrition; (b) health;(c) education; and (d) adult literacy; and
• an economic vulnerability criterion, involving acomposite Economic Vulnerability Index (EVI) based onindicators of: (a) the instability of agriculturalproduction; (b) the instability of exports of goods andservices; (c) the economic importance of non-traditionalactivities (share of manufacturing and modern servicesin GDP); (d) merchandise export concentration; and (e)the handicap of economic smallness (as measuredthrough the population in logarithm); and the percentageof population displaced by natural disasters.
To be added to the list, a country must satisfy all threecriteria. To qualify for graduation, a country must meetthe thresholds for two of the three criteria in twoconsecutive triennial reviews by the CDP. In addition, sincethe fundamental meaning of the LDC category, i.e. therecognition of structural handicaps, excludes largeeconomies, the population must not exceed 75 million. Inthe 2000 review, Senegal was included in the list of LDCs.
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Timor-Leste was added to the list in 2003, bringing thetotal number of LDCs to 50. With regard to the 2003triennial review of the list, the CDP concluded that CapeVerde and Maldives qualified for graduation andrecommended that they be graduated from the LDCcategory. The CDP also concluded that Samoa was eligiblefor graduation in 2006. Based on the CDP report, theECOSOC will make a recommendation to the GeneralAssembly, which is responsible for the final decision onthe list of LDCs. (United Nations, 2004)
Developing a NAPA
Whilst recognising the importance and the need to be consistentwith other national and international obligations, widerplanning processes and overarching development goals, thepreparation of NAPAs by these LDCs can be followed using thesteps mentioned below. (UNFCCC Annotated guidelines 2002)
Source: UNFCCC, 2004
Fig 1: Main steps in participatory process of developing NAPA
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Step 1: Designating a NAPA team
The process of NAPA preparation starts with the designation ofa NAPA team (decision 28/CP.7) by the national climate changefocal point. The NAPA team comprise of a lead agency andrepresentatives of stakeholders, including government agenciesand civil society. The team is intended to ensure that the NAPApreparation process is flexible, inclusive, open and transparent.The team leader will be selected based on issues relevant to thecountry. This means that the national climate change focal pointdoes not necessarily have to lead the NAPA team, and in somecases, other team members may be more appropriately selectedfor the role of team leader. The team should assemble amultidisciplinary group that includes representatives from allsectors, including agriculture, coastal communities and marineecosystems, forestry, health, urban planning and women’s issues.These representatives will help ensure that the NAPA addressissues from and within their sector, and that the sectoral plansare complementary. The NAPA team will be responsible for:
• collating and synthesising available information—thisincludes reviewing existing national strategies and actionplans on expected adverse effects of climate change andon coping strategies;
• assessing the risks through participatory vulnerabilityassessment; (Fig 1)
• identifying and prioritising country-driven criteria forselecting priority activities;
• identifying key climate change adaptation measures;
• identifying potential areas for synergies among the Rioconventions in the country.
Step 2: Following the guiding elements of NAPA
NAPAs should be developed using the following guidingelements: (UNFCCC Annotated Guidelines 2002)
a) A multi-stakeholder participatory approach,particularly local communities;
b) A multidisciplinary approach;
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c) A complimentary approach, building upon existing plansand programmes, including national action plans underthe United Nations Convention to CombatDesertification, national biodiversity strategies andaction plans under the Convention on BiologicalDiversity, and national sectoral policies;
d) Sustainable Development;
e) Gender equality;
f) A country-driven approach;
g) Sound environmental management;
h) Cost-effectiveness;
i) Simplicity, and;
j) Flexibility of procedures based on individual countrycircumstances.
The steps of NAPA are:
(a) Build multidisciplinary NAPA teams.
(b) Define goals and criteria, review policies & identifysynergies.
(c) Synthesize available vulnerability assessments.
(d) Conduct participatory assessments to identify urgentadaptation options.
(e) Select priority adaptation needs using participatoryapproach.
(f) Rank projects and activities.
(g) Develop project profiles, show integration into nationalpolicy frameworks & projects and submit NAPA.
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Step 3: Completing the six sections of NAPA
1. Introductionsand settings
o Country BackgroundInformation
• Current Characteristics(Geographic &Socioeconomic)
• Key Environmental Stresses• Affected Biophysical
Processes and Sectors
2. Frameworkfor AdaptationProgramme
3. IdentifyingKeyAdaptationNeeds
o Overview of ClimateVariability, Observed andProjected Climate Change andPotential Adverse Effects
o A Description of the Goals,Objectives and Strategies,taking MEAs into Account
o Relate the NAPA framework tothe country’s socio-economicand development goals
o Description of PotentialBarriers to Implementation
o Assessment of Past andPresent Adaptation Practices
Capacity buildingPolicy reformIntegration of SectoralPoliciesProject level activities
o Identify and assess to whatextent vulnerabilities needsaddressing
Contd;
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6.NAPAPreparationProcess
5. List ofPriorityActivities
Selectedand rankedbased onnotedcriteria
A set ofprofilesdevelopedandincluded
Format to be followed topropose priority activities• Title• Rational/justification in
relation to climatechange, including sectorsconcerned
• Description- Objectives and
activities- Inputs- Short-term outputs- Potential long-term
outcomes• Implementation
- Institutionalarrangement
- Risk and barriers- Evaluation and
monitoring- Financial resources
o Describes the developmentprocess
o Indulge the process ofconsultation
o Methods for evaluation andmonitoring
o Institutional arrangements
o Mechanism of endorsement bythe national government
4. Criteria forSelectingPriorityActivities
o Locally DrivenDegree of adverse effectsPoverty reduction to
enhance adaptive capacitySynergy with other MEAsCost-effectiveness
Fig 2: Completing the six sections of NAPA
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The criteria for prioritisation involve issues related to crosscutting themes such as biodiversity, livelihoods and naturalresource management (Fig. 3).
Fig 3: Criteria for prioritisation in NAPA
Criteria forPrioritisation
Land UseManagementand Forestry
Coastal Zone andAssociated Loss ofLand Loss of Lifeand Livelihood
CulturalHeritage
EssentialInfrastructure
OtherEnvironmentalAmenities
Water Availability,Quality andAccessibility
Food Securityand Agriculture
Human Health
BiologicalDiversityLoss of
Life andLivelihood
Review and communication of lessons learned
The NAPA should be presented for public review as well asreview by the government, civil society representatives and theprivate sector. In particular, comments on proposed adaptationactivities should be subject to careful scrutiny of stakeholdergroups. The NAPA may also be shared with the LEG prior toendorsement by the national government.
Because the NAPA development process is really an exercise in“learning by doing”, it is important that country experiences beshared. Experiences with developing, evaluating andimplementing NAPAs should be communicated among LDCs,and used to expedite the process. The secretariat of the UNFCCC,the LEG, or the GEF implementing agencies could assist withinformation dissemination. In addition, lessons learned andcross-accord issues should be communicated to the secretariatof the CBD and UNCCD.
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Support for NAPA implementation
The LDC Fund is mandated to support the implementation ofNAPAs in accordance with decision 5/CP.7 and 6/CP.9. In addition,co-financing may be sought from national, bilateral or othermultilateral sources, including existing funding channels underthe UNFCCC process such as the GEF Trust Fund, the SpecialClimate Change Fund and the Adaptation Fund once operational.
Prerequisites for effective implementation
Once the NAPA has been completed and the immediateadaptation needs of a nation have been identified, the challengebecomes implementing the NAPA. Effective implementation ofNAPA and the priority activities identified within NAPA requiresadequate awareness of the issues and adaptation needs withingovernment, affected sectors and by the public. Buildingadequate capacity to implement the NAPA is also required.Capacity building and awareness-raising activities should bepursued throughout the entire NAPA development andimplementation process.
Awareness-raising
Implementing NAPA will require cooperation of numerousagencies and individuals, many of whom have limited knowledgeof climate change and its impacts, or knowledge of how tointegrate other environmental and development objectives. Inaddition, the support of local communities is critical to ensuringsuccess of adaptation activities, and this support can only beattained through ensuring that communities have adequateunderstanding of the issues, and have been involved in theplanning process. Awareness-raising needs to involve both top-down initiatives, but also bottom-up teaching, wherecommunities can share their local knowledge and traditionalpractices.
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Capacity building
Developing countries are required to identify their capacitybuilding needs as a part of their National Capacity building SelfAssessments (NCSAs). Capacity building activities should beplanned to complement activities required to implement othermultilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), and to supportcontinued development work.
Progress of NAPA development in LDCs
Of the 48 LDC Parties to the Convention, 30 are in Africa, eight inAsia and ten are SIDS (Small Island Developing States) (thosemarked with an asterisk have a summary of NAPA progressincluded in this paper):
African LDCs: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, CentralAfrican Republic, Chad, Dem. Rep. of the Congo, Djibouti,Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, GuineaBissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania,Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia,Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia
Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh (*), Bhutan (*), Cambodia, LaoPeople’s Dem. Rep. (*), Myanmar, Nepal (*), Yemen
SIDS: Cape Verde, Comoros, Haiti, Kiribati, Maldives (*), Samoa,Sao Tome & Principe, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
Status of NAPA process in some LDCs
NAPA preparations are at various different stages. According tothe GEF Council Status report on the Least Developed Countries TrustFund for Climate Change of 14 April 2004, projects for thepreparation of NAPA had been approved for 37 countries by theLeast Developed Country Trust Fund (LDCF), four projectproposals are at an advanced stage (for Burundi, Guinea Bissau,Rwanda, and Sierra Leone) and another four (for Afghanistan,Myanmar, Nepal, and Solomon Islands) are under development
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with the Implementing Agencies. Thus 45 countries out of 48LDC Parties to the UNFCCC are either approved or workingwith the Implementing Agencies to prepare NAPA projects.
Among those 37 approved projects, 26 projects have begun thepreparation of their NAPAs. Most of the approved projects areexpected to complete the preparation of the NAPA within a periodof 12 to 18 months. In terms of progress, based on preliminaryreports from UNDP and UNEP, 19 countries have establishedtheir NAPA teams and a few have initiated NAPA related studies.A more comprehensive report is to be provided for the Councilat its meeting in November 2004.
The following (Table 2) below shows the geographical locationand its vulnerability to climate change apart from the status ofthe NAPA development in LDCs.
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Country and Location Status of NAPA
Table 2: Status of NAPA implementation in selected LDCs
(as of October 2004)
Bangladesh
Bangladesh, with its long coastline andrural economy based largely on marineresources, is highly vulnerable toclimate change. In particular, effectsof sea level rise and coastal cyclonesmay be particularly severe. The nationhas a population of over 140 millionpeople, largely residing in rural areas(rural to urban ratio - 3:1) and a low percapita income (USD 350).
Bhutan
Bhutan is one of the poorest countriesin Asia with a GDP per capita of USD755. It is prone to natural disasters likeGlacial Lake Outbursts Floods(GLOFS) and landsides. Climatechange projections indicate that thefrequency of these hazards willintensify, and models suggest that thevulnerability of human populations totropical diseases and heat stress willincrease due to climate change. Thiscountry is rich in biodiversity and isconsidered an Eastern Himalayanhotspot. Currently 72.5% of the landarea is under forest cover. Eightypercent of the country’s populationwork in the agricultural sector.
Lao PDR
Lao has a per capita of USD 326 and apopulation of 5.4 million with a largerural to urban ratio (4:1). This country,being one of the lower Mekongcountries, has enormous water andwetlands resources, but is also highlyvulnerable to adverse impacts ofclimate change such as floods.
NAPA process has been initiatedwith the Ministry of Environmentand Forests as the focal agencyfor implementation.
NAPA Process has begun underthe National EnvironmentalCommission of Bhutan, the NAPAteam is identified and planningworkshop was organised recently.
Implementation of NAPA is yet tobegin. However Scientific,Technical, Environment Agency(STEA) is nominated as focalpoint for NAPA implementation.
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Country and Location Status of NAPA
Maldives
The Maldives has a small population(0.3 million), high per capita income(USD 2082) and high GDP (USD4798). However, it is extremelyvulnerable to sea level rise. Thecountry has submitted its initial NatComto the UNFCCC on the 5th ofNovember 2001.
Myanmar
Myanmar has a low GDP (USD 1027),high population (48.2 million) and ahigh rural to urban ratio (3:1).
Nepal
In Nepal, 38% of the populationcurrently lives below the poverty line.However, using plans detailed in theTenth Plan, the government intends toreduce this rate to 30% by 2007. Thecountry’s Biodiversity Strategy (2002)was prepared under the UNDP/GEFBiodiversity Conservation Project. Itlists several climate-related threats tobiodiversity, such as flooding andsedimentation. High altitude systemsare at particular risk due to the fasterwarming and increased variability inprecipitation that will affect glaciers andcontribute to increased runoff.
Mali
This Western African country with apopulation of 12 million has a land areaof 1,240,192 km2. The country’s GDPper capita is about US$ 200 and itsadaptation capability any vulnerabilityis extremely low. The countrysubmitted its initial nationalcommunication on the 13th ofNovember 2000.
The process of preparation of theNAPA has just begun in Maldives,with the submission of proposalfor GEF funding.
The NAPA proposal is underdevelopment and is expected tobe submitted soon.
Nepal’s NAPA has begun and iscoordinated by The Ministry ofPopulation and Environment(MOPE). A steering committeeand an executive committee willoversee technical andadministrative issues, whileNational Study Teams (NST) willcarry out sector-related work.
NAPA process has begun and thenational executing agency is theMinistry of Environment.
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Country and Location Status of NAPA
Ethiopia
An East African country, Ethiopia hasexperienced frequent and extensivedroughts in the recent decades whichhave caused severe food shortage andfamine. A spread of malaria to thehighlands and an increased loss ofbiodiversity as well as a decline inwildlife has been observed. Thiscountry has also faced internal conflictsand has a GDP per capita of just US$90 (2001) which shows that the countryhas a low adaptive capacity and isparticularly vulnerable to climatechange. The country’s population is 64million and the land area is 1,104,300 km2.The initial national communications wassubmitted on the 16th of October 2001.
Tuvalu
A highly fragmented tropical statecomprises nine atolls and low islandstotalling a land area of only 26km2.Located 5-11 °S and 176-179°E in thePacific spread over a sea area of900,000 km2, these islands are proneto cyclones, variable rainfall andinundation and the first nations to bedirectly affected by sea level rise wherethe whole population is beingrelocated in countries such as NewZealand. Tuvalu has submitted itNatCom on 30th October 1999.
Kiribati
Is a small island state with 32 low lyingatoll islands and one raised limestoneatoll in the Pacific Ocean. Thepopulation is about 85,000 and surfacearea of 726 km2 spread over a sea areaof 3.5 million km2 . Kiribati is one ofthe most vulnerable states to theadverse impacts of climate change andaccelerated sea level rise. The countryhas submitted its NatCom on the 30th
of October 1999.
NAPA process has begun underits national implementing agency.
NAPA process has begun with theMinistry of Natural Resources andEnvironment being theimplementing agency.
NAPA process has begun underits national implementing agency.
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Background
Climate change threatens to impact all ecosystems and livelihoodsecurities. Effects will range from subtle effects, like minorchanges in species ranges with no ecosystem-level consequences,to severe effects, like the loss of coastal and island habitats.Changing climatic conditions will lead to changes in theecosystems, in some cases destabilizing them and interferingwith their use by human populations for provision of goods andservices. It is estimated that forest conversions, mainlydeforestation contribute to 30% of atmospheric build up of carbondioxide (WRI 1998).
This chapter first reviews some anticipated effects of climatechange on ecosystems and human settlements, focusing onbiodiversity. It then explores on-the-ground options foradaptation and mitigation, and ways in which biodiversity canbenefit from these activities. As well, biodiversity conservationprojects with side-benefits for climate change adaptation andmitigation are noted. Finally, selected recommendations arepresented for implementation of mitigation and adaptationactivities to ensure sustenance of biodiversity and ecosystemintegrity, and to ensure the success of these activities.
Current and future impacts of climate change on ecosystems
The issues of climate change and biodiversity are intrinsicallylinked. Biomes and ecosystems have developed and changedover thousands of years to adapt to specific climatic conditions.Although there is general scientific consensus that the climate ischanging, there is less agreement on whether changes inbiodiversity can be attributed to climate change. To addressthis question, the IPCC Third Assessment Report reviewed over
Chapter 3
Mainstreaming Biodiversity into ClimateChange Activities
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2500 scientific studies on a large variety of plant and animalspecies (Gitay et al., 2002). Of these studies, 44 showed long-term trends in both climatic parameters and biologicalparameters and eighty percent of these studies showed changesthat were consistent with climate change predictions, leadingthe IPCC to conclude that there have been “discernable impactsof regional climate change, particularly increases in temperature,on biological systems in the 20th century” (Gitay et al., 2002).These biological changes include shifts in the timing ofreproduction and egg-laying, changes in body size and in speciesranges. In addition, increased temperatures have led to increasedegg-laying by the spruce budworm, worsening outbreaks of thispest. Human populations have been affected by changes in thedistribution of water, food and vector-borne diseases.
Future impacts are likely to be much more severe. Significantincreases in sea level, and major regional changes in precipitationamounts, intensity and timing are projected. In addition,predicted increases in air temperature have major implicationsfor the sustainability of ecosystems. A poleward shift in someecosystems is predicted as the climate warms, and even minorchanges in climate will disrupt agriculture. The yields of fisherieswill also change in some regions. Increased frequency of flood,drought, and extreme events have major implications forecosystems, and for human activities.
Maintaining biological options for adaptation – integratingbiodiversity into adaptation and mitigation projects
Multiple stressors, including habitat fragmentation, pollution,and the introduction of invasive species will limit the resilienceof ecosystems to climate change. In addition, climate changemay further accelerate current high rates of biodiversity loss,precisely at the time when diversity, and the range of ecosystemadaptation options diversity provides, are most needed.Incorporating biodiversity conservation objectives into climatechange adaptation and mitigation activities will help maintainthe biological capital of adaptation options, and fosterachievement of maximal mitigation benefits.
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Mitigation refers to activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,or enhance sequestration of greenhouse gases. Activities tomitigate climate change include:
• improving land use planning and land managementpractices (e.g. Box 2);
• improved forest management practices includingencouraging afforestation and reforestation andpreventing or limiting deforestation;
• improving agricultural practices, including crop andgrazing land management practices (e.g. Box 3);
• use of agroforestry activities and bioenergy plantations(e.g. Box 4);
• encouraging use of renewable energy sources whilereducing dependence on fossil fuels (e.g. Box 4);
• encouraging energy conservation and more efficientenergy generation and transmission;
• large scale implementation of agroforestry activities andbioenergy plantations (e.g. Box 4).
Iceland conserves soil, sequesterscarbon and rehabilitates habitat
Box 2
The start of human settlement in Iceland 1100 years ago broughtwith it massive changes in the ecology of the island.Unsustainable land use practices have led the emission of atleast 460 million tonnes of carbon. Ninety-five percent of forestsand 50% of vegetative cover has been destroyed. Many of theremaining vegetated areas have low productivity andimpoverished biodiversity.As a part of Iceland’s efforts to implement the Kyoto Accord, thegovernment is intensifying its soil conservation efforts. Thecountry is investing in re-vegetation, reforestation andaforestation activities which not only sequester large amountsof carbon and improve soil fertility, but will also create valuablehabitats and contribute to ecosystem rehabilitation.
(Source: Orlando et al., 2002)
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Protecting a world heritage site, whilemitigating climate change and helping rural Nicaraguans
Box 3
Nicaragua’s Bosawas Biosphere reserve is a unique ecosystemand a UNESCO world heritage site. However, local people, whowere converting forested lands to agricultural uses werethreatening the reserve. Now, expansion of agricultural lands isno longer necessary, as a project intended to improve foodsecurity and protect the reserve has led to more than two-foldincreases in productivity.
The Campesino to Campesino project encouraged local peopleto use a crop rotation system, and plant leguminous plants onsome of their lands, to increase the nitrogen content of the soil.The soil fertility has increased so much that there is no need tofurther expand agriculture. In addition, the project is working torestore the area, and trees have been planted along riparian areas,protecting bodies of water. And, local fire-fighting squads protectthe forests from fire.
By protecting forests from agricultural expansion, fire, and byplanting riparian zones, emissions of carbon due to land-use changehave been avoided, carbon has been sequestered, biodiversityhas benefited, and most of all, local peoples have benefited.
(Source: Equator prize
http://www.undp.org/equatorinitiative/secondary awards_finalists.htm)
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Mitigation and improvinglivelihoods in Cuba’s poorest region
Box 4
By involving local communities in protecting and conservingforests, the Bayamo Whole Forest Company has improved thelivelihoods of residents of the Granma province of eastern Cuba,Cuba’s poorest region. It has also led to biodiversity protection,and protection of one of Cuba’s most important freshwaterresources, the Rio Cauto.
Local people have embraced the Ecological Forest Farms Initiative,and as a result, 1300 hectares of deforested land have beenreplanted, and the condition of the Rio Cauto has improved.
The project involved establishing fifty-five plots, each 25-hectaresin size. Each plot, or Fincas forestales ecologicale was assignedto family for a 30-year period. Families were given trees to replantthe lands, and could use agricultural and agroforestry productsfrom their plots of land, and take their excess to market.Participating families were also given a fuel efficient stove and aphotovoltaic panel for electricity. The switch to fuel efficienttechnologies, and the replanting of forests provide additionalbenefits to climate change mitigation.
(Source: Equator prize
http://www.undp.org/equatorinitiative/secondary/awards_finalists.htm)
Adaptation measures are intended to reduce the impacts of climatechange. Specifically, the goals of adaptation are to allowecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to allowsustainable development to proceed, and to ensure that theproduction of food is not threatened. These activities include:
• hazard-reduction – hazard reduction activities include floodmanagement and prevention, drought preparedness andplanning, and coastal zone management to contend withsea level rise and a possible increase in the frequency orseverity of extreme events (e.g. Box 5, Box 6);
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Mangrove restoration - potential for multiple benefits
Box 5
There are numerous examples of successful mangrove restorationactivities with benefits to biodiversity, development, and climatechange mitigation and adaptation. Mangrove restoration createsvaluable habitat, and improves local livelihoods by creatingfisheries opportunities. In addition, by buffering the effects oftropical storms, disaster frequency is reduced, allowing furtherprogress in development. Because climate change in many regionsis expected to lead to stronger and more frequent tropical storms,this buffering effect also constitutes an important climate changeadaptation activity. And, by developing large tracts of forest, localcommunities are also sequestering carbon and contributing toclimate change mitigation.Viet Nam-In Viet Nam, the restoration of 12,000 hectares of mangroves hashad major benefits to coastal peoples. Already, the work has beencredited with minimizing damage and saving lives during TyphoonWukong in 2000. And, this work, initiated in 1994 by the Viet NamRed Cross, has helped 7750 families by creating work in replantingand protection efforts, and creating a fishery for shrimp, crab andmolluscs. A diverse ecosystem has been re-established, aided bythe planting of four different mangrove species, and carbon hasbeen sequestered in mangrove biomass. The project has facednumerous challenges, in particular from shrimp farmers anddevelopers competing for use of waterfront lands.
(Sources: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.2002.; African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank et al. 2002.)
Sri Lanka-The Sewa Lanka Foundation is working with local fisheriescooperatives in Pottuvil and Thirukkovil to replant mangroves inareas where the forests have been destroyed or degraded. Theinitiative will help improve local fisheries, which have declined asa result of mangrove destruction. It will also provide a buffer totropical storms, and sequester carbon. And, by offering tours ofthe mangroves to visitors to resorts in the neighbouring AragamBay, local people can diversify their incomes.
The project has placed a strong emphasis on education, usingtheatre as one means of educating local children and their familiesabout the importance of mangroves, and trying to ensure vitalsupport of local residents for the work.(Source: Sewalanka Foundation, 2003)
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Rehabilitating watersheds to improvelivelihoods, now and in the future
Box 6
Drought and human activities are to blame for what was a viciouscycle in a semi-arid region of India’s Maharashtra state. Landsbecame barren, and soil eroded. As a result these lands werethen unable to support plant life and retained little water. Rapidrunoff further increased erosion, and decreased water availability.
But, through the work of the Watershed Organization Trust(WOTR), this cycle is ending, and the livelihoods of localcommunities that depend on rain for agriculture, cottageindustries and personal use are improving.
WOTR works with communities to help them develop plans torestore watershed areas. Activities include erosion controlprogrammes, projects to encourage infiltration of groundwater,improved crop and livestock management techniques,afforestation projects, and improved energy practices, whichinclude banning tree-felling and encouraging use of planted shrubsand grasses to meet fuel needs.
As a result of the work of local communities in partnership withWOTR, vegetative cover is returning to previously barren areas,soil moisture and groundwater levels are increasing, and foodsecurity has improved. Associated work to support cottageindustries and diversify local economies will also make thecommunity more resilient to drought. Together, all of these effortshelp communities to improve their current circumstances, butalso provide a buffer against the effects of climate change, helpingthem to adapt to future changes in moisture, by making theircurrent practices less vulnerable.
(Source: Hammill, 2003)
• sectoral activities – sectoral activities address adaptationissues within areas such as agriculture, water resources,tourism, forests, biodiversity, and health. For example,incorporating climate change predictions into regionalagricultural practices and maintaining agrobiodiversity(Box 7) are adaptation options in the agricultural sector.Riparian zone management is a land-use/forestry optionwhich can help maintain water quality, prevent erosionand limit the effects of changes in precipitation (Box 3,Box 6);
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Preserving agricultural options:Agrodiversity and climate change adaptation
Box 7
Tribal communities in the Jeypore Tract of Orissa (India), with thesupport of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, havestarted working to conserve the biodiversity of their agriculturalcrops. Over the years, the number of plant varieties has beendeclining, largely due to the widespread use of commercialvarieties. But, local communities concerned with the threat tobiodiversity, and with the sustainability of their food supply havestarted working to preserve local varieties, and to protect theenvironment
The project, which was established in 1997, is now working ondeveloping community seed banks and grain banks. The projectalso encourages cultivation of overexploited medicinal plants incommunity gardens, to reduce dependence on, and damage tolocal forests. Concurrent work to increase the market fortraditional varieties of rice and medicinal plants has helped ensurethat local communities can also reap fiscal benefits. Themaintenance of traditional plant varieties is an important tool inadapting to climate change, ensuring that varieties suitable fordifferent conditions are available.
(Source: Equator prize
http://www.undp.org/equatorinitiative/secondary/awards_finalists.htm)
• regional initiatives – regional initiatives take into accountthe predicted local impacts of climate change, and theecology and economy of the region;
• economic and social systems – actions in the field of economicand social policy aim to ensure a smooth financial andsocietal transition to new climatic conditions;
• physical planning – physical planning involvesincorporating climate change predictions into local andregional planning. These activities involve determiningthe location and design of infrastructure and futuresettlements, and when necessary, moving populationsfrom vulnerable lands or preventing the development ofsettlements in unsuitable areas like flood plains. Thiscan also involve planning to establish protected areaswhich will be resilient to climate change (Box 8).
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Protected areas - planning for climate changeBox 8
At the local level there are many ways in which biodiversityprojects could consider their effects on climate change. Similarly,there are ways in which climate change project planners couldtake into account the implications for biodiversity conservation.
This is already happening in some countries. For example,proposals to form the Greater Addo National Park in South Africahave addressed the potential future effects of climate change. Byincluding a large range of altitudes and latitudes and a number ofecosystem types, park planners are ensuring that species will beable to shift their ranges, and that the maximum number ofecosystem types will persist.
(Source: http://www.upe.ac.za/zoo/addo/addoprop.htm)
A list of types of adaptation activities with benefits under each ofthe three conventions is given in Table 3.
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Adaptation option UNCCD
Table 3:Possible adaptation strategies envisaged by
individual Rio instruments
Disaster planningframework: earlywarning systems,emergencymeasures torespond to floods,droughts, etc.
Integratedwatershedmanagement:agroforestry(firewood, fodder,annual crops), run-off harvesting fortrees and range.
Intensivegreenhouseagriculture andaquaculture (cashcrops, fish,industrial materialsfrom algae).
In-situconservation ofbiologicalresources, wildlifeconservation.
CBD UNFCCC
Help ensureprotection ofvulnerablecommunities(e.g., creatingfood and waterreserves, cattleprotectionschemes).
No over-exploitation oflocal waterhence lowsalinization risk;run-offharvesting,terraces andtrees conservesoil.
High incomeper unit soil andwater used, thuseconomizing onland and waterresources.
Potential foreconomicexploitation asan alternativelivelihood;promotion ofecotourism.
Identification offragileecosystems andspecies prior to acrisis, tomaximizeprotection duringand following adisaster.
Conserves muchof the watershed’sbiologicaldiversity, utilizesparts of it thuscontributing tooverallsustainability.
Reduced pressureon land leaveshabitats for in-situbiodiversityconservation,thus promoting itsutilization.
Global benefitsfrom drylandbiodiversityassets.
Determineprioritymeasures tominimize loss oflife and damageto livelihoods asa result ofextreme weatherevents.
Increases waterretention andhence itsavailability intimes of drought.Slows watermovement,reducing the riskof flash floods.Maintainsvegetation ascarbon sink andreservoir.
Reducedpressure on land(a) allowsconservation ofbiodiversityresistant toclimate change;(b) maintainscarbon sink andreservoir.
Conservation ofgenetic diversityinstrumental inrestoring climatechange damagedecosystems.
Adapted from: “Review of Activities for the Promotion and Strengthening ofRelationships with other Relevant Conventions and Relevant InternationalOrganizations, institutions and Agencies.” ICCD/COP3/9. 1999
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Linking adaptation and mitigation
Maximizing the number of benefits of adaptation and mitigationactivities is critical for nations with limited resources. Activitiesshould be developed to incorporate biodiversity objectives andmaximize benefits for local livelihoods. In addition, adaptationactivities should be designed to maximize mitigation benefits,and adaptation options should maximize carbon sequestrationor emissions avoidance to the greatest extent possible. Likewise,projects should be developed to help achieve local sustainabledevelopment goals.
Guidelines for mainstreaming biodiversity into adaptationand mitigation strategies
• Initial activities should focus on win-win options. Theseadaptation options will lead to benefits even if the rateof climate change is slow, and these mitigation optionswill lead to benefits for local communities in the absenceof external financial incentives.
• Prioritize projects that offer multiple benefits(adaptation in conjunction with mitigation,biodiversity or local livelihoods goals)
• Adaptation and mitigation activities should beconsistent with the local goals for sustainabledevelopment.
• All measures should have clearly defined objectives,and measurable outcomes.
• The support of local communities is critical to thesuccess of adaptation and mitigation activities.Ensuring stakeholder involvement and documentingand using local knowledge and expertise as much aspossible will help attain support.
• Measures should be reviewed for their social andenvironmental impacts.
• Adaptation measures should clearly identify theaspects of climate change and adaptation needs thatthey are addressing.
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• Adaptation cannot be static. Activities and policiesmust evolve based on past experiences and observingwhich practices are successful and which are not, andbased on improved understanding of on-the-groundimpacts of climate change.
• Adaptation planning is most relevant in the short-term.Projects should be tailored to these short-term needs,when climate predictions are most reliable, whileconsidering how activities can be modified to meetfuture needs.
• Promoting insurance for ecosystems and humansshould be considered to minimize economic andecological losses in the event of a climate-related disaster.
• Carbon sequestration initiatives must improve ormaintain local livelihoods. Initiatives that protectcarbon sinks at the expense of local communities arelikely to fail.
• Reforestation and aforestation should be done usinglocal species. Planting a mixture of species will providegreater biodiversity benefits, and may provide morebenefits to local communities due to the greater varietyof non-timber forest products.
• Mitigation measures should address issues of leakageand permanence.
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Progress in achieving synergies
The World Summit on Sustainable Development and agreementsresulting from the Rio Earth Summit promise to improve thequality of human life throughout the globe, and the integrity ofthe environment. The implementation of the three Rioconventions, namely the CBD, UNFCCC and the UNCCD as wellas the Forestry Principles are at varying stages. However,without improved coordination of the work under theseconventions and work to achieve sustainable development, thepromise of better environment and improving humanlivelihoods will be more difficult to achieve.
The path towards achieving synergies is shown in Figure 4.Despite the lack of success in implementing many synergies todate, the process is quite advanced. Numerous linkages andpotential synergies have been identified, their benefits have beendetermined, and people are determining how to make thesesynergies work. In many cases, we are quite close to therealization of synergies. Working to eliminate disconnectsbetween separate government departments that areimplementing the conventions, working to foster interlinkagesamong the conventions, and encouraging activities with broadenvironmental benefits at the ground level, will allow for therealization of synergies, and resulting social, environmental andeconomic benefits.
This chapter reviews some of the linkages among the conventions,barriers to achieving synergies, and ways to promote synergiesand linkages. This chapter focuses not only on biodiversity andclimate change, but also addresses the forestry principles andUNCCD, to help present a more complete idea of the tremendousopportunities for synergies that are available.
Chapter 4
Integrating synergies among MEAsand NAPA
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Identifying and building on interlinkages
Linkages refer to common objectives, processes and otherelements of the conventions and the Forestry Principles. Theseagreements are linked in many ways, creating numerousopportunities for building synergies. (Table 4) Potential linkagesand linkages that require strengthening are noted in thefollowing sections.
Scientific linkages
Scientific assessments are key to informing the negotiationprocesses. These assessments include an estimate of the socio-economic implications of climate change, biodiversity loss,desertification and deforestation. In addition, these assessmentsshould address interrelationships – such as the importance ofdeforestation to carbon emissions, and the effects of deforestationon biodiversity and desertification.
Implementation linkages
The key environmental agreements contain many similarrequirements for action, research, reporting and other necessaryactivities agreed to by their signatories.
Figure 4: Process of achieving synergies among the Rioconventions
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• Approaches to goals – The instruments adopt similarapproaches to achieve their goals. They recognise needsfor national action guided by international experiences.All of them recognise the need for capacity building andawareness raising as a pre-condition to their successes.All of them also identify the need for cooperation.
• Approaches to activities – All of these instruments promoteactivities of research, assessments, information exchange,training, development of strategies and action plans andinventories. However, the decisions of design and detailare left open for interpretation by individual governments.
• Subsidiary Bodies for Scientific and Technological Advice – Allof the conventions require the creation of an international bodyof scientific and technical expertise. CBD works through SBSTTA,UNFCCC through SBSTA and UNCCD through Committee onScience and Technology. However, the linkages between thesebodies are relatively weak.
• Awareness raising and education, public participation – Ensuringthat the public and workers in the fields of environmentand development are aware and educated aboutenvironmental issues, and multilateral environmentalagreements is important to the implementation of all ofthe conventions. Further, engaging the public in theimplementation process is important to establishingcommunity support. Activities in these sectors can bestrongly linked, with excellent opportunities for synergies.
• Information, Monitoring and Reporting – The UNFCCC, CBDand UNCCD have independent ways of addressinginformation needs and information generation and haveindependent monitoring and reporting requirements.They fail to underline the common principles of monitoringamong the conventions and fail to facilitate commonreporting from national governments.
• Clearing House Mechanisms – Both the CBD and UNCCD,through Article 18, call for the establishment of a ClearingHouse Mechanism to share information. The UNFCCCdoes not have such a provision; however, the IPCC fulfilsthe need to a limited extent. Considering the need for bothtechnical, scientific and policy information in addition tosharing experiences, a CHM for climate change may be
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very useful. Learning from the experiences of other CHMs,it is important that the CHM on Climate Change shouldbe designed to cater to the needs of cross-sectoral issues.Unlike the CBD and UNCCD CHMs, the UNFCCC CHMcan be the effort of IPCC and be supported by a consortiumof agencies like UN agencies, NGOs, IGOs and others.
Planning processes
The three Rio conventions require parties to develop strategiesand action plans to implement the provisions and decisions ofCOP. Countries also submit National Reports regularly.However, they do not require or encourage countries to addresscross-convention synergies in both strategies and action plans.Guidelines on how to incorporate biodiversity and desertificationconcerns into NAPAs are required. In addition, given thatNBSAPs are currently being revised, and implementation optionsare being reviewed by many countries, additionalrecommendations on how to incorporate climate change anddesertification concerns should be developed. Finally, actionplans under the UNCCD should be reviewed, to ensure that theyadequately address the issues of climate change in desertification,and of biodiversity in mitigating desertification. Some keylinkages and complementarities between the three RioConvention are elaborated in Table 4.
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BiologicalDiversity
Table 4:Linkages and Complementarities - overlapping requirements
of the Parties to the Rio agreements (Source: UNDP, 1997)
National Article 4.1(a) Principle 12 (a)InventoriesNational and Article 4.1(b) “Strategies” Articles 9,10 Principles 3 (a),Regional Article 6 (a), 5 (a), 6(b), 8Action Plans (b) (d & h), 9 (c)
Article 4 (b) andIPF Proposalsfor Action
Identification Article 8 Article 16& MonitoringDevelop Article 8 Principles 7 (b),Protected Areas 8(f)Legislation Preamble Article 8 (k) Article 5 (e) Principles 8 (f),13 (d & 3)Research Article 5 Article12(b) Article 17, Principle 12 (a)
19 (b)Public Article 6 Article 13 Article 5 (d), Principle 12 (d)Education 19, 6Environmental Article 4.1 (f) Article 14 Principle 8 (h)AssessmentClearinghouse Article 18 Article 18for technicalinformationPublic Article 6 Article 9 Article 19 (4) Principle 2 (d)ParticipationConference of Article 7Parties (COP) /regular reviewsExchange Article4.1 (h), Article 17 Article 16 Principles 2 (c),Information 5 (b), 6, 7 11, 12 (c )Training Article 6 Article 12 (a) Article 19 Principles 3 9a),
11, 12(b)Reports Article 12 Article 26Data Collection Article 5 Article 16 Principle 12 (a)Examine Articles 4.2 Article 23 Principle 12 (a)obligations- (d), 7 (e)AssessimplementationReport Steps Article 12 Article 26 Article 26to COPCompatible Article 16Data/Standards
Desertifi-cation
ForestryPrinciples
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Synergies among MEAs and NAPAAfter identifying opportunities for linkages and synergies andassessing their benefits, the next step to achieving synergies is tofigure out how to make them work, and how to overcome barriersto their implementation. (Box 9) There are numerous ways tostart this work, but some of the most critical steps are improvingcoordination in implementation of the accords at a national andlocal levels, and building capacity and knowledge.
International InitiativesSeeking Synergies between MEAs.
Box 9
In recent years, the Secretaries of the UNFCCC, CBD and UNCCDhave made several recommendations, conclusions and decisionsto increase mutual understanding and coordination. In March2001, the CBD’s Scientific Body requested that its ExecutiveSecretary explore the formation of a joint Liaison Group (JLG)responsible for enhancing coordination between the CBD and theUNFCCC. The establishment of a JLG was endorsed by the Partiesto the UNFCCC in July 2001, and agreed to by the UNCCD inAugust 2001. The JLG held its first meeting in December 2001,with subsequent meetings taking place in January and April 2002.The JLG has established a common web-based calendar of eventsrelated to the three conventions, and is exploring the possibilityof holding a joint workshop on cross-cutting thematic areas andactivities.
In addition, the CBD has established the Ad Hoc Technical ExpertGroup (AHTEG) to prepare scientific advice on the interlinkagesbetween biological diversity and climate change. The first meetingof the AHTEG took place in January 2002; a follow-up meeting isplanned for October 2002. The CBD is also developing a joint workprogramme with the UNCCD to examine options for conservationand sustainable use of dry and sub-humid lands.
UNCCD’s Secretariat examined how it may promote andstrengthen its relationship with related conventions, internationalorganizations and other institutions at its fifth Conference of theParties held in October 2001. Prior to this, the Secretariat of theUNCCD participated in the April 2001 workshop in which draftguidelines for the preparation of NAPAs were developed.
Contd;
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Guidelines at the national level
Bringing together a crosscutting national committee onsustainable development comprised of key players will helpfacilitate the achievement of synergies at the national level. Thisapproach has been used in several countries, where NationalPlanning Commissions have been established to develop plansand budgets. An additional strategy, which has been used insectors like finance, banking and health, is to establish acoordinating mechanism to link the separate institutionsresponsible for implementing the conventions. Finally, insteadof maintaining separate institutions for implementing thedifferent accords, a single institution could be made responsiblefor all instruments. This would remove disconnects oftenobserved when countries have separate ministries forenvironment and for natural resources.
National planning processes and environment anddevelopmental plans also need to be reviewed to ensure thatsynergies can be achieved. This review should ensure that plans:
• are consistent with development goals;
• clearly identify the roles of the Rio conventions and othercommitments at all levels;
• identify potential overlaps and conflicts amongobligations and activities, and wherever possible, identifyways to make potential conflicts into synergies;
• are integrated into existing national frameworks;
• are managed in a manner that ensures effectiveconsideration of multiple objectives and stakeholders.
Exploration of synergies is also taking place through a number ofother initiatives at the international level. These include: an IPCCtechnical paper on the interlinkages between climate change,biodiversity and desertification; OECD DAC [DevelopmentAssistance Committee] study on synergies in the nationalimplementation of the Rio Agreements; UNEP’s work on synergiesamongst conventions; and the United Nations University’s inter-linkages initiative.
(Source UNFCCC, 2002)
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At the local level, implementation of the conventions andsustainable development objectives could be better linked bycreating a coordinating committee representing all sectors, bymaking locally elected democratic institutions responsible forenvironment and development, or by encouraging community-based organizations, religious groups and women’s groups tohelp coordinate environmental efforts and achieve synergies. .
Building capacities
Many countries are overtaxed by the conventions’ competingdemands and obligatory activities. Capacity building will helpcountries address these demands. Specific capacity buildingrequirements are the needs to:
• develop inventories, perform monitoring and makesystematic observations;
• develop policy, plan effectively and reform legalframeworks;
• perform impact assessments and research;
• improve information, knowledge and data management;
• perform reporting and monitoring; and,
• enhance education, training and public awareness.
The synthesis report of Country Capacity Development Needsand Priorities (2000) provides the following as more generalrequirements that will benefit implementation of all of theaccords:
• improve awareness and knowledge to foster moreeffective discussion, decision-making and action;
• improve information management, monitoring andobservations to facilitate policy-making and decision-making;
• synchronize national policy, legal and regulatoryframeworks to avoid confusion between sectors andamong national, regional and local levels;
• develop incentive systems and market instruments;
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• ensure institutional mandates are clear, and do notoverlap or have gaps;
• ensure that key institutions are involved in policy-makingand communications between institutions are effective;
• effectively mobilize science and technology in support ofpolicy and decision-making;
• build skills for participating in international agreementsand negotiations, and reporting back on these activities;
• improve coordination and processes for interactionwithin the country and among regions;
• improve management abilities to make sure individualsare effectively deployed, mobilized, motivated, and aregiven appropriate and adequate responsibilities; and,
• ensure access to adequate resources and technology.
Strengthening the information base andcommunicating experiences
There is a need to strengthen the information base. This does notsimply entail more research, but instead involves synthesizingresearch to address goals and needs of individual countries andcommunities. Strong information management systems, efficientknowledge networks, and perhaps most importantly, strongcommunications are required. The information base should bedesigned to facilitate cross-sectoral linkages, and regularassessments.
Improved communications of lessons-learned within countriesand among countries are one of the most important informationneeds. By building upon experiences of other nations, fasterprogress can be achieved in meeting development goals andfulfilling the obligations of the Rio Conventions. However,without building adequate capacity within nations, appropriateinformation cannot be tabulated, and nations will not be able toimplement effective actions built upon the strengthenedinformation base.
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Mainstreaming risks of climate change into NAPA
Climate change and development are intrinsically linked. Climatechange has the potential not only to harm the environment, butalso to arrest, or reverse development progress. By integratingclimate change concerns into development planning,development progress can be sustained and local communitiescan address their climate change adaptation and mitigationneeds. This is particularly important in LDCs where povertyreduction initiatives are critical, but there is limited capacityavailable to help meet climate change and developmentobjectives.
Mainstreaming climate change into development planning mustaddress both extreme events, and more minor changes whichcan have more severe impacts upon livelihoods. However,mainstreaming climate change into development planning iscomplicated by the lack of integration of the climate change anddevelopment planning communities, and lack of funding forcross-cutting initiatives.
Need for integrationGiven the linkages between climate change and development, itis critical that activities addressing these issues are alsointerlinked. To do this, there is a need to build the capacity ofdevelopment workers to understand issues of climate changevulnerability and adaptation, and for climate change plannersto understand the local development framework.
Improving coordination between the groups will require strongleadership at national and regional levels. At the national level,policy documents must be integrated – for example PRSPs,NAPAs and NBSAPs should be complementary. At the regionallevel, it is important that adaptation activities take into accountthe effects of the activities themselves, as well as climate change
Chapter 5
Mainstreaming Poverty and Developmentinto NAPA
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effects on local livelihoods. Development activities must beplanned to ensure that they are robust to a changing climate,facilitate adaptation, and should be developed in a way tominimize greenhouse gas emissions.
This need for integration extends beyond the sustainabledevelopment and climate change communities. Developmentand climate change planning and implementation of activitiesalso needs to be integrated into hazard-planning and disastermanagement, and individual sectors such as agriculture, waterresources, forestry, tourism and health. Economic and socialpolicies, regional and rural policies, and physical planning alsoneed to address climate change and sustainable development.Clearly, a strong coordinating body needs to be established toensure effective communication and coordination among thesesectors. There are examples of cross-sectoral cooperation inmany countries, but in all cases, there is more work to be done.Experiences of other nations can be used to guide local initiatives,but must be adapted to account for differences in climate changevulnerability and adaptation, development frameworks, andinstitutional structures. Needs for cross-sectoral managementand progress in several regions are discussed in boxes 10-12.
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BangladeshBox 10
Environmental Management StrategiesBangladesh has improved inter-ministerial cooperation in hopesof better addressing climate change adaptation needs, and tohelp improve management of Haor areas. However, additionalwork is required to review policy documents in different sectors,and ensure that climate change vulnerability and adaptation, anddevelopment concerns are addressed. Specifically, although theNational Environment Management Action Plan (NEMAP) andNational Conservation Strategy (NCS) mention climate change,more attention should be given to the effects of climate change.And, climate change should be integrated into the SustainableEnvironment Management Plan (SEMP). Interlinkages betweenclimate change and biodiversity have been addressed to someextent within the NBSAP, but like all of the other policy documentsnoted, the NBSAP could better address development-relatedissues.
Prioritising interventionsOne of the most critical stages of the NAPA preparation processis identifying and prioritising intervention options to addressclimate change vulnerability. This should be done with stakeholderinvolvement, and with strong consideration for developmentobjectives and achievement of the Millennium DevelopmentGoals. Bangladesh has addressed some prioritised actions atthe national policy level, by creating a Ministry of DisasterManagement and changing policies in sectors like water.However, the country needs to work on ground level prioritisationof actions. And, development considerations could be moreeffectively addressed in climate change planning.
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Challenges for AfricaBox 11
Health, environmental, political and economic problems as wellas extreme poverty have placed a huge burden upon Africa.Climate change impacts on human health and the environmentwill add to this burden. Meeting peoples’ basic, daily needs forsurvival is a challenge in many African nations, so understandably,planning for future climate change has not been a priority.
One way forward is to support the establishment of a nationalmonitoring programme on ecosystem disruption and humanhealth. The programme should focus on: monitoring vector-bornediseases and the movement of vectors, human migration, andchanges in agricultural productivity. Although initiatives of theWorld Health Organization are addressing some of these issues,they are not adequately linked to climate change vulnerabilityand adaptation. However, there are relatively strong links tobiodiversity conservation and desertification.
Source: African Development Bank et al., 2002
Drinking water for small island nationsBox 12
The Tarawa atoll, a series of islands belonging to Kiribati in thePacific Ocean, is dependent on rain for its drinking water, withvery limited underground storage capacity to buffer their suppliesin times of drought. Tuvalu, another Pacific island nation is alreadyexperiencing salt-water intrusion, and impacts on crops, forestsand drinking water supplies. It is necessary that these vulnerableisland nations use a cross-sectoral approach to address themultiple dimensions of water management, and foster adaptationto climate change.
Some nations, like Fiji and Kiribati have developed improvedmechanisms for water management, but would benefit by buildingwater partnerships, rather than water authorities, to help fosterdevelopment of necessary institutional capacities and financialsupport. Effective use of ICTs (Information and CommunicationTechnologies) will help build the necessary partnerships, andensure effective exchange of information among partners in watermanagement (African Development Bank et al., 2002).
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Guidelines for mainstreaming poverty and development intoNAPA
Challenges to integrating development, climate change and otherobjectives are clear from the examples in Boxes 10-12. In manycases, nations lack adequate capacity to approach these issuesand the institutional framework does not encourage cross-sectoral approaches. In addition, in developing nations and LDCs,priorities are often focussed upon meeting immediate needs,rather than ensuring future ones can be met. However, thedevelopment of NAPAs provides an opportunity to plan for thefuture, foster cross-sectoral work, and ensure that climatechange, development and other needs are understood andaddressed in a more holistic, productive manner. Fundingavailable through capacity-development initiatives, and theprocess of developing a NAPA should help address some of theselimitations. Other recommendations follow:
Policy Guidelines• Ensure that NAPA is developed to fit into the existing
environmental and development frameworks, and thatthese existing frameworks are reviewed to assess climatechange impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation needs.
• Whilst ensuring that all sectors are included in NAPAdevelopment process, they should involve the mostinfluential and important ministries for strategydevelopment and incorporate climate changevulnerability and adaptation information gained duringthis process into planning for their own sectors.
• The NAPA process and the creation of multidisciplinaryteams can contribute to an ongoing dialogue amongsectors, even once work on NAPA is complete.
• Hold pre-meeting consultations on multilateralenvironmental agreements (MEAs) that involveindividuals involved in managing implementation ofeach MEA, individuals involved in development planningand representatives from all sectors. This will facilitatedialogue about national priorities and build capacities
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for intergovernmental negotiations. This will alsoimprove communications among sectors.
• Encourage cross-sectoral initiatives by funding activitieswith multiple benefits.
• Ensure that an informative NCSA is developed and thefunding opportunities through GEF to meet capacitybuilding needs are utilized.
• Place a priority on adaptation planning and integrationinto development work at a local level, as opposed to oftensupported global interventions.
Improving communications among sectors• Using examples drawn from local development and
climate change adaptation and mitigation activities toencourage dialogue about cross-over areas at nationaland regional levels.
• Establish inter-institutional committees to deal withvulnerability and adaptation issues.
Capacity building• National and regional institutions with capacities and
experiences should be identified. After such identificationthey should be mandated to work on integrating climatechange into development process, including conservationand sustainable use.
• Create national and sub-regional networks ofgovernment institutions to deal with capacityenhancement, with support from other stakeholders.
• Establish a Clearing House Mechanism (CHM) onadaptation issues that incorporates development issues.
• Develop regional and national knowledge networks onvulnerability and adaptation.
• Organize structured training programmes on synergisticactions to deal with climate change (e.g. climate change,biodiversity and development).
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• Organize regional workshops aimed at reachingcommunity-based organizations to educate them aboutcross-over work, and encourage communication amonggroups.
• Develop communications and awareness raising trainingmaterial so that ‘trainers’ can be trained..
• Organize study-tours, internship and exchange visits toenhance capacities and ensure regional collaboration.
• Strengthen initiatives like the Vulnerability andAdaptation Research Group (VARG) to reach andinfluence national actions.
• Establishment of regional centres of excellence or chairsfor promoting sustained capacities and training (on themodel of UNESCO Eco-technology chairs).
• Develop catalogue of ‘Implementation Options’ on keyCOP and SBSTA outputs.
• Develop educational materials in local languages toeducate the public on key issues and interventions.
• Develop local “information banks” and rural informationcentres.
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African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank et al. 2002.Poverty and Climate Change: Reducing the Vulnerability ofthe Poor. Consultation Draft.
Balakrishna P., 2002. Synergies in Rio Convention. IUCN RegionalBiodiversity Programme Asia, Colombo.
Balakrishna, P., K.B.N.U. Surangika, and N. Wijayanandana.2001. Resource Kit for Biodiversity Planners. IUCN RegionalBiodiversity Programme Asia, Colombo.
Equator Prize. 2002 Finalists. http://www.undp.org/equatorinitiative/secondary/awards_finalists.htm
Frankhausea, S. 1998 The costs of adapting to climate change.Working paper 16. GEF, Washington.
Gitay, H., A. Suárez, R.T. Watson, D.J. Dokken et. al. 2002. ClimateChange and Biodiversity. IPCC Technical Paper V. IPCC.
Hammill, A. 2003. Livelihoods and Climate Change: Anintegrated Approach to the Reduction of Vulnerability andPoverty. In: Dharmaji, B., B. Pisupati and H. Baulch (eds).Mainstreaming Biodiversity and Climate Change:Proceedings of the Asia Regional Workshop. IUCN RBP,Colombo.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.2002. World Disasters Report 2002.
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Sashankar, S. 2002. The Sunamganj Hoar tragedy in 2002. ActionAid, Dhaka.
Sewalanka Foundation. January 2003. Sewalanka FoundationNewsletter. Managing Mangrove Eco-Systems with localCommunities. Edition 1.
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Swaminathan, M.S. 2001. Science and achieving the goal of hungerfree world. MSSRF Website.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC). 2002. Annotated Guidelines for the preparationof national adaptation programmes of action. UNFCCC, Bonn.
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United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 2001.Conference Report: Poverty Reduction Strategies – What have welearned. Bergen, Norway.
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UNDP-GEF,. 2000. Country Capacity Development Needs and Priorities.Regional Report for Latin America and the Caribbean. UNDP, NewYork.
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Abbreviations
ADB Asian Development BankASEAN Association for South East Asian NationsCBD Convention on Biological Diversity
CDI Capacity Development InitiativeCDM Clean Development Mechanism
CHM Clearing House MechanismCOP Conference of PartiesCSD Commission for Sustainable Development
DSS Decision Support SystemsGEF Global Environmental Facility
ICT Information and Communication TechnologiesIPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
J I Joint ImplementationJLG Joint Liaison GroupUNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change
LDCs Least Developed CountriesLEG Least Developed Countries Expert Group
LULUCF Land Use, Land Use Change and ForestryMDGs Millennium Development GoalsMEAs Multilateral Environmental Agreements
MOP Meeting of PartiesNAP National Action Plans
NAPA National Adaptation Programme of ActionNatComs National CommunicationsNBSAPs National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans
NCS National Conservations StrategyNCSA National Capacity Building Needs for Self-
Assessment
NEMAP National Environment Management Action PlanPRSPs Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers
RIC Rural Information Centres
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SBSTA Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technical AdviceSBSTTA Subsidiary Body for Scientific, Technical and
Technological AdviceSEMP Sustainable Environment Management Plan
SIDS Small Island Developing StatesTAR Third Assessment Report
UEQES Urban Environmental Quantitative ExaminationSystem
UNCED United Nations Conference on EnvironmentalDevelopment
UNCCD United Nations Conference to CombatDesertification
UNDP United Nations Development ProgrammeUNESCO United Nations for Education, Science and Cultural
Organisation
VIS Virtual Information SystemsV&A Vulnerability and Adaptation
WEHAB Water Environment Health Agriculture BiodiversityWHO World Health Organisation
WSSD World Summit on Sustainable Development
