Impact of National Communications on Process of Integrating Climate Change into National Development Policies

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• Impact of National Communications on Process of
  Integrating Climate Change into National
  Development Policies
• UNFCCC Workshop on Exchange of Experiences
• and Good Practices among NAI Countries
• in Preparing National Communications
• 20-22 September 2007, Cairo, Egypt
• Yamil Bonduki

2
Numerous entry points can be identified for
linkages between SNC and development priorities
Strategy for policy-relevant SNC
1. Agree SNC objectives/outcomes
2. Focus scope of work
3. Engage stakeholders early
4. Build from technical knowledge base
5. Communicate results
6. Identify business case
7. Measure impacts
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Mainstreaming the SNC makes the process
sustainable
1. SNC objectives/outcomes Explore ways to
facilitate mainstreaming of SNC process into
government agenda

• Objective seek to contribute to policy changes
  
• Outcome highlight short- and long-term policy
  strategies
• Establish system at beginning of SNC process to
  create policy dialogue and pursue political
  buy-in

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Thematic studies should focus on national
priorities
2. Focus scope of work Revisit scope of studies
to ensure linkages of outputs to development
planning

• Use ToR that specifically address policy issues
  for each thematic area of SNC
• Ensure VA and mitigation studies are consistent
  with development needs (focusing on areas more
  likely to influence decision making)
• Conversely, studies may be explicitly driven by
  changes in policy that address development and
  VA/mitigation

5
Find follow-up opportunities to keep stakeholders
engaged
3. Engage stakeholders early Establish system at
beginning of SNC process to create policy
dialogues and pursue political buy-in

• Document stakeholder engagement process, and
  include follow-up activities
• Identify actions to facilitate adoption of
  results as a key feature of SNC process

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Making technical studies policy-relevant is key
for encouraging broader interest and dissemination
4. Build from technical knowledge base Promote
policy-oriented studies that expand upon
traditional technical assessments and focus on
what is important

• Identify current practices and trends that
  enhance vulnerability and/or increase GHG
  emissions
• Keep research simple, but relevant - complex
  studies are not necessarily required
• Emphasise socio-economics assessments as a key
  element of VA and mitigation assessments

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Communicating the results of the SNC will help
stimulate public awareness
5. Communicate results Establish effective
communications around SNC results and process to
encourage greater policy dialogue

• Highlight policy-relevant issues within the SNC
  to raise government, media and public awareness
• At least one SNC outcome to clearly communicate
  policy decisions needed for adoption of
  appropriate measures in short- and long-term

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Climate change can be used as a cross-cutting
policy tool for sustainable development
6. Identify business case Identify the risks
that climate change poses to national development
goals and the opportunities for reducing risks

• Link climate change to macro-economic measures in
  SNC
• Use SNC to identify governance policy and
  incentive frameworks
• Link VA studies to disaster risk management
  activities

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Demonstrating impacts of SNC
7. Measure impacts Desing criteria to demonstrate
impacts of the SNC process and outcomes

• Two options
• Level 1 At the end of SNC, countries would be
  able to demonstrate a"minimum" level of impacts
  of the SNC
• Level 2 countries may adopt a more"ambitious"
  strategy to demonstrate policy changes at the
  national or sectoral level to address CC concerns
  through the SNC process

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Demonstrating impacts of SNC
Measure impacts Level 1

• Number of experts trained, and specific outcomes
  from training activities
• Number of technical publications and articles
  published
• Changes in education curriculum to include
  climate change
• Number of stakeholders involved and roles played
• Number of institutions actively involved in
  climate change activities as a result of the SNC
• Number of policy dialogues carried out under the
  SNC
• Number of relevant projects, programmes,
  activities developed as a result of the SNC

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Demonstrating impacts of SNC
Measure impacts Level 2
Incorporation of CC concerns into national
development priorities- Concrete references to
climate change and strategies in
relevantnational development initiatives
- Number of decision makers and other relevant
stakeholders bringingclimate change into their
areas of work- Changes in legislation or
specific regulations to address climatechange at
national or local levels- Concrete efforts to
address climate change at a broader level,for
instance joint initiative to address climate
risks management and adaptation
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Demonstrating impacts of SNC
Measure impacts Level 2

• Incorporation on CC concerns into sectoral and
  local planning- Appropriation by
  economic/social sectors of specific outcomes,
  e.g. GHG inventory systems, mitigation measures,
  adaptation options.
• Adoption of climate change criteria in sectoral
  planning ordecision making
• Incorporation of climate change initiatives at
  the local level
• Mainstreaming CC concerns into UN relevant
  frameworks - Incorporation of climate risk
  management into UN country programming
• - Linkages between climate change and achievement
  of MDG Goal

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Demonstrating impacts of SNC
Measure impacts deliberate efforts
Some issues to consider for impacts measurement
of SNC - Areas of impacts to target (public
awareness, technical andinstitutional capacity
strengthening, policy advocacy, policy
formulation, education, follow-up projects, etc.)
-  Scope of impact assessment, e.g. throughout
formulation of SNC and/or beyond the life of
national communication (short/long term)
- Criteria (indicators?) to measure and/or
demonstrate impacts- Strategy to document
progress and impacts- Identification of
unintended impacts that may result from the SNC
process