perspective on water and climate change in unfccc negotiations chris moseki water research...
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Perspective on Water and Climate Change in UNFCCC Negotiations
Chris Moseki Water Research Commission of SA
Africa Pavilion – COP173 December 2011
Overview
1. Where is water located under the UNFCCC?2. Commitment of Parties to the Convention 3. What does the NWP seek to achieve (aim)?4. Areas of work that constitute the Programme5. Activities & progress to date - regarding the
implementation of the Programme6. Water as an important theme within the NWP7. Challenges/opportunities of water as a potential
stand-alone item on the SBSTA/COP agenda
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Where is water currently discussed or located under the UNFCCC?
• Papers & Programmes:The Nairobi Work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate changeThe 2008 Climate Change and Water IPCC Technical Paper VIThe NAPAs under the LDC Work ProgrammeThe NWP Synthesis on Climate Change and Freshwater Resources (developed in collaboration with GWP)United Nations FCCC/TP/2011/5 Technical Paper on Water & Climate Change impact and adaptation strategies (dated 22/11/2011)
• Discussions:• Nowhere ... or weakly within various sectors
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Article 4 paragraph 1(e) of the Convention
...commits Parties to “develop and elaborate appropriate and integrated
plans coastal zone management, water resources and agriculture, and
for the protection and rehabilitation of areas, particularly in Africa, affected by drought and desertification, as well a
floods.”
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Implementation of the NWP
Scope of work under the NWP is categorized into 2 thematic areas:-
• Impacts and vulnerability: entailsMethodologies & tools for vulnerability assessments, etcExchange & access to observation data and monitoringPromote understanding of info on socio-econ aspects
• Adaptation planning and action:Promote dissemination of methods & toolsInfo on practical adaptation action + indigenous knowledgeTools for econ diversification, resilience & reducing reliance on vulnerable economic sectors, etc
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What does the NWP seek to achieve?
The NWP aims to assist all Parties, in particular DCs, including the LDCs and Small Island Developing States, to improve their understanding and assessment of impacts, vulnerability and adaptation;
and To assist all Parties to make informed decisions on
practical adaptation actions and measures to respond to climate change on a sound scientific, technical and socio-economic basis, taking into account current and future climate change and variability.
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Structured according to 9 areas of work
Methods & tools, Data & observation, Climate modelling, scenarios & downscaling Climate related risks and extremes Socio-economic information Adaptation planning and practices Research Technology for adaptation Economic diversification
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What has been done/achieved?
A number of expert workshops were organised Various organisations and relevant institutions
were invited to contribute info to the NWP Submit info/experiences to the UNFCCC secretariat Fund research that support the objectives of NWP
To date, 19 organisations & 56 pledges
That is knowledge base has been provided on continuous basis, intended for support to all Parties in general, but DC, LDCs & SIDSs in particular
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Progress or examples of what implementation under the NWP entails
• Progress regarding implementation activities of the NWP (has been reported since 2008)
Action pledges by various organisations - e.g. UNDP: developing country-level climate profilesFAO – assisting Nigeria to assess adaptation requirements in the agricultural sectorMet Office of UK developed climate scenarios in support of the Nairobi Work Programme, etc
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Water & NWP
It is quite clear that the NWP is currently the only Programme within the UNFCCC that is markedly water related
However, it is neither only about water nor directly addressing policy related issues on water
The programme broadly supports adaptation action
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Cancun Adaptation Framework at COP16
COP16 by its Decision 1/CP.16 paragraph 14(a) • Makes specific reference to water resources,
freshwater, marine ecosystems and coastal zones in the context of “planning, prioritizing, and implementing adaptation actions, including projects and programmes ...”
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However,
The NWP is limited to measures & toolsAdaptation–mitigation linkages, and other water resource
management issues (e.g. regulatory, use, etc) are missingWater is key to successful mitigation action
Aim: to make water integral part of climate agendaGWP advocates for inclusion of water on COP agenda
Hence, based on Art 4(1)e of the ConventionCancun agreement on “planning, prioritizing and
implementing adaptation actions, including projects and programmes, inter alia, in the areas of water resources”
This led to a call for water programme under UNFCCC to be established through SBSTA in Bonn (June 2011)
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Water & NWP
In Bonn, Some role players brought in other issues onto
the table thus disabling the chance for water to be considered for discussion
Others used the relationship between NWP and Water to suggest that Water could be addressed under or within the Nairobi Work Programme
Perhaps the challenge is whether there was a formal agreement on water as an agenda item
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The latest on NWP
The revision of the NWP, aims to strengthen it by improving action oriented approach with links to national and sub-national programmes
The question is whether given the design and objective of the Nairobi Work Programme, it can (or not) accommodate water issues raised
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If WATER were to be an agenda item,
Some of the intended functions would bePolicy principle: Guide technical & policy expertise on
water (as it relates to both mitigation and adaptation)Finance: Guide access to Green Climate Fund and other
financial mechanisms under the Convention on the allocation of financial resources for water management,
Coherence: Interface between water-related policy, practice and science, and other issues, processes and mechanisms under the UNFCCC
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THANK YOU
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