1. Structure of Presentation
Strong International Spirit
• Objective of the Convention
• Adaptation
Planned Adaptation
Reactive Adaptation
• Increasing GHG Emissions
• National Adaptation Plans
Increasing Vulnerability
Sectoral Adaptation Plans
• Conclusion
2. Strong International Spirit
• The Second World Climate Conference (SWCC)
(Nov 1990) confirmed the observed trend of
carbon dioxide concentrations and its
implications
• The Ministerial Declaration called on the
Secretary General to institute a mechanism to
protect the global climate
• General Assembly responded by establishing
the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee
(INC)
3. Strong International Spirit Contd.
• The International community, guided by the
principle of precautionary measure and the
provisions of the United Nations, took bold
decision amidst uncertainty - and adopted the
United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) on 9th May in 1992
• Climate change is caused by high concentration
of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in
the atmosphere and vulnerability will increase
with increase in greenhouse gas emissions
4. Objective of the Convention
• The ultimate objective of this Convention and any other
related legal instruments that the Conference of the
Parties may adopt is to achieve stabilization of
greenhouse gases concentrations in the atmosphere:
at a level that would prevent dangerous
anthropogenic interference with the climate system
within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems
to adapt naturally to climate change
within a time-frame to ensure that food production
is not threatened
to enable economic development to proceed in a
sustainable manner
• The objective of the Convention is broad and
encompassing
5. Objective of the Convention Contd.
• Climate change is a serious problem to
humanity, development and ecosystems
• Sir John Houghton, re-known
climatologist, described climate change as
a weapon of mass destruction
• Can the No Harm Rule be applied to
Parties who do not meet their mitigation
commitments under the Convention?
• We must all prepare to face its brutality
and also act now to reduce the future
costs of adaptation
6. Vulnerability
• Humans and its ecosystems are
vulnerable to the negative impacts of
climate change
• Vulnerability can be minimized by healthy
ecosystems
• The slides below illustrate vulnerability of
humans and its ecosystems
8. Melting of Rwenzori Mountains
Mount Stanley
293.19
186.26
84.83
0
100
200
300
400
1906 1955 2005
YearAreaCoverageinHa
1906
1955
2005
9. Melting of Rwenzori Mountains Contd.
Mount Stanley
293.19
186.26
84.83
0
100
200
300
400
1906 1955 2005
Year
AreaCoverageinHa
1906
1955
2005
10. The Most Vulnerable are Threatened
Left story house in Bangladesh & right malnourished child
11. Hailstone in Kashaka in Kashari, Mbarara
What is the adaptation measure against impacts of hailstone?
12. Objective of the Convention Contd.
• Adaptation is built into the objective of the
Convention: ”Such a level should be
achieved within a time-frame
sufficient to allow ecosystems to
adapt naturally to climate change, to
ensure that food production is not
threatened and to enable economic
development to proceed in a
sustainable manner”.
13. Adaptation
• Two types of adaptation, responsive (re-
active) and planned
• Responsive Adaptation
Reacting to a disaster or extreme weather or climate events
Very little time to plan response actions need to anticipate and
prepare to manage such risks
Lead institutions (Department of Disaster Preparedness) should
take the lead in preparing and planning for the management of
such risks
Institutions and Individuals can also implement responsive
adaptation
Weather and climate information is essential for both preparation
and management of the risks
Therefore capacity building is an important element for effective
adaptation
14. Adaptation Contd.
• Planned Adaptation
Event or risk is anticipated and therefore there is adequate time
to plan (assuming capacity exist)
Lead early warning system institutions should take the lead in
preparing and planning for the management of risks
Planned adaptation can be undertaken at national, local
government or individual level
Casualties can be minimized because of adequate time to
prepare
Capacity building is an important element for adaptation
Adaptation technology plays a much bigger role in planned
adaptation
Weather and climate information is essential for both preparation
and management of risks
15. Increasing GHG Emissions
• Available information indicates increasing
GHG emissions, rise in surface temperatures
and increased frequency and intensity of
extreme weather and climate events (see
slides below)
• Some developed countries are not meeting
their commitments under the UNFCCC
• GHG emissions are also increasing in
developing countries
• Some developing countries have adopted
sustainable development approach
16. Increasing GHG Emissions Contd.
• Increasing GHG emissions means
increased intensity and frequency of
extreme weather and climate events
• Hence the need for sector wide adaptation
plans and implementation of concrete
practical adaptation programmes
21. The National Adaptation Plan
• The National Adaptation must be derived
from key sectoral adaptation plans
• Sectors must undertake vulnerability
assessment prior to the development of
adaptation plans
• The vulnerability of sectors may change
over time and therefore need to review key
sectoral adaptation plans to enable the
review of the National Adaptation Plan
22. The National Adaptation Plan Contd.
• The National Adaptation Plan is a living
document and therefore will need to be
reviewed over time to take into account
emerging new science and adaptation
methodologies
• Provision of weather and climate information
is mandatory
• Strengthening and enhancing capacity of
meteorological services at both national and
global level is a necessity
23. Conclusion
• Adaptation may be likened to producing and
bringing-up children
• The parents are very happy when the
children grow and become successful in life
(settled and able to bring up their off springs)
• When developing countries have developed
resilience with support of developed countries
and therefore can withstand negative impacts
of climate change – then climate change is
no longer an issue
24. Conclusion
• Bringing up children is a
commitment of the parents – they
will be happy when the children are
successful
• Supporting adaptation in developing
countries is a commitment of
developed country Parties under
the Climate Change Convention
25. Conclusion Contd.
• Enhanced resilience is the reward
for developed countries supporting
adaptation in developing countries
• Developing countries must
gradually take up the funding of
adaptation to negative impacts of
climate change
