12 November 2009

From the floodplains of Bangladesh, to the arid deserts in Sudan, many people are feeling the effects of global warming. Glacial melt in the Himalayas increases flooding and riverbank erosion for downstream villages in Nepal; persistent droughts in Kenya force Maasai herdsman to search further for scare water for their livestock, losing many animals to dehydration on the way. Projects that increase people’s ability to adapt to changes in their natural environment are ongoing with communities in many areas, yet greater support is essential if help is to reach all the places currently at risk. How much developed countries will provide to safeguard the poorest people in developing countries is one of the key issues to be resolved at the negotiations in Copenhagen. The decisions made there will determine the ability of millions of people to adapt to their changed realities.

To deal with the unavoidable consequences of global warming, adaptation is an essential component of a Copenhagen deal. Parties should agree action, including committing finance, that can start immediately, as well as finance and institutions for long term support:

Near term start:

• Implementing existing adaptation plans. Many developing country parties have submitted their National Adaptation Programmes for Actions (NAPAs) to the UNFCCC. International support should enable operation of the NAPAs to proceed before 2012.

Longer term support:

• Capacity building. Effective capacity building and support for countries in implementing and preparing national adaptation programmes and strategies, including, for example, through the creation or enhancement of regional centres of excellence

• Insurance. An insurance mechanism financed by developed countries to help countries recover from climate change related disasters.