UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008 Technologies for adaptation to climate change: How.
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UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Technologies for adaptation to climate change: How to make them work?
Richard J.T. Klein Stockholm Environment Institute, Sweden
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Outline
• Background • The process of adapting to climate change • Examples of technologies for adaptation • Lessons learnt
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Background
• EGTT’s programme of work for 2004 included an action aimed at encouraging the development of environmentally sound technologies, in particular technologies for adaptation to climate change. A scoping paper was prepared by the EGTT chair.
• The decision to initiate a programme of work on adaptation (1/CP.10) emphasises technology transfer for adaptation on an urgent basis in priority sectors.
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Mandate
• SBSTA-20 requested the Secretariat to: • Organise a seminar on the development and transfer of environmentally sound technologies for adaptation to climate change, • Prepare a technical paper on the applications of of ESTs for adaptation to climate change.
• The seminar took place in Tobago in June 2005. A background paper was prepared as input and as a starting point for the technical paper.
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Scope
• The technical paper aimed to provide an overview of: • Current knowledge and understanding of adaptation, • A framework for assessing technologies for adaptation, • The process of technology development and transfer as relevant to adaptation, • Examples and case studies of important technologies for adaptation, • A discussion of implications for climate policy.
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Examples of technologies for adaptation
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Technology
• “A piece of equipment, technique, practical knowledge or skills for performing a particular activity”.
(IPCC SRTT, 2000)
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
The process of adaptation
Climate variability Climate change
Mitigation
Impacts Existing management practices Other stresses Information, Awareness Policy criteria Planning, Design Response Implemen tation Monitoring, Evaluation Development objectives
Adaptation
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Technologies for adaptation
• Society has a long history of coping with and preparing for climate variability and extreme weather events. Many technologies can therefore be considered technologies for adaptation.
• Not everybody has knowledge of or access to these technologies.
• Existing technologies vary from hard to soft, from simple to highly complex, from inexpensive to unaffordable, and from locally available to requiring international technology transfer.
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Barriers to implementation
• Implicit in much of the discussions and negotiations to date is the assumption that there are no constraints on implementing the adaptation options identified.
• Institutions and mechanisms need to be in place and technological, human and other resources need to be available to collect information, raise awareness, plan and design adaptation options, and monitor their performance.
• Successful implementation of technologies relies on the presence of an enabling environment.
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
The process of adaptation
Climate variability Climate change Technologies to facilitate implementation Technologies to implement adaptation
Mitigation
Impacts Existing management practices Other stresses Information, Awareness Policy criteria Planning, Design Response Implemen tation Monitoring, Evaluation Development objectives
Adaptation
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Information and awareness
• Coastal system description (maps, tide gauges, buoys, remote sensing, surveys).
• Climate impact and coastal hazard assessment (scenarios, models, place-based analysis, analogues).
• Awareness raising (printed information, audio-visual media, interactive tools).
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Planning and design
• Simulation tools (sediment budget models, economic models).
• Decision tools (cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, multi-criteria analysis).
• Integration tools and frameworks (e.g., APF, NAPAs).
• Cross-cutting technology: geographical information systems.
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Implementation
• Protect: decrease probability of occurrence (e.g., dikes, seawalls, beach nourishment).
• Retreat: limit potential effects (e.g., establishing set-back zones, relocating threatened buildings).
• Accommodate: increase society’s ability to cope with the effects (e.g., emergency plans, insurance, modification of land use and agricultural practices).
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Monitoring and evaluation
• Similar technologies as for coastal system description, in combination with an evaluation framework (requires development and agreement on indicators and criteria).
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Lessons learnt (1)
• Adaptation is a process that comprises more than the implementation of some hardware; it also explicitly includes facilitating this implementation and considering soft technologies.
• The process of adaptation begins and ends with information development.
• Successful adaptation involves action by a range of stakeholders operating from local to global scales. Technology application and transfer is relevant on each scale.
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008
Lessons learnt (2)
• Many potentially very effective technologies for adaptation to climate change are simple, inexpensive and locally available.
• R&D is still required to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of existing technologies, as well as to develop new technological solutions.
• Technology can be very important in reducing vulnerability to climate change, but it can also introduce new risks. Moreover, its effectiveness depends on the economic, institutional, legal and socio-cultural contexts.
UNFCCC Expert Meeting on Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 April 2008