Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation at Poznan

1
Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change
Adaptation at Poznan
Reid Basher, ISDR Secretariat

1. Poznan and the UNFCCC processes especially the
   Ad-hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative
   Action (AWG-LCA).
2. Formulating concepts, guidance and messages for
   adaptation and DRR policy.
3. Key outcomes of Poznan for the ISDR system.

2
www.unisdr.org
COP 14, Poznan, 1-12 December 2008

• Major event - 8000 participants, 2 weeks.
• Multiple layers operating in parallel.
• ? NGO events and advocacy. ? Exhibit booths
  (incl ISDR).
• ? Side events, e.g. ISDR IASC UNDP partners
  UN System heads. Usually technical focus, with
  format of panel discussion.
• ? Bilateral meetings (among Parties and
  non-Parties).
• ? Ministerial statements. ? Press events.
• ? Party-mandated workshops (in plenary).
• ? UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies. ? Contact groups,
  informals.
• ISDR team - Margareta Wahlstrom, Reid Basher,
  Glenn Dolcemascolo, Julio Garcia (ISDR Panama),
  Silvia Llosa

3
www.unisdr.org
UNFCCC subsidiary bodies and processes
Note the AWG-LCA is a formal body of all Parties
4
www.unisdr.org
Ad-hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative
Action (AWG-LCA)

• Bali Action Plan (decision 1/CP.13)
• The process to achieve the Copenhagen agreed
  outcome at COP-15 in December 2009.
• Four elements mitigation, adaptation,
  technology, finance, plus establishment of the
  AWG-LCA process.
• Para 1(c) on adaptation identifies Resilience,
  disaster risk reduction, risk management, risk
  transfer and insurance.
• Parties requested specific technical papers and
  workshops.

5
www.unisdr.org
Risk issues at Poznan

• AWG-LCA
• Workshop on risk related issues technical
  report(s)
• Advance the deliberations on adaptation
• SBI (Article 4.8, 5/CP.7, 1/CP.10)
• Roundtable to assess the status of the
  implementation of adaptation action and identify
  gaps and needs
• SBSTA (Nairobi Work Programme)
• Focal point forum Review of progress move to
  SBI?

6
www.unisdr.org
Processes for formulating guidance on adaptation
and DRR policy

• Continuing UNISDR submissions, interventions,
  support to UNFCCC secretariat, Nairobi Work
  Programme
• UN initiatives SG Policy Committee policy 8
  July UNGA event hosted by GA President 29
  September 2008 Ministerial event hosted by SG
  UN-CEB initiatives for coordinated information
  and support.
• ISDR invited to give presentation at AWG-LCA
  workshop on risk issues at Poznan.
• UNISDR convened ISDR partners to prepare
  system-wide submission to AWG-LCA plus later
  joint IASC-ISDR submission.

7
www.unisdr.org
Current recommendations

• First priorities?
• (i) National adaptation planning sector plans
  including DRR.
• (ii) National risk assessments, focused on the
  vulnerable.
• (iii) Strengthened institutions, including to
  link climate change and risk reduction agendas.
• Measures?
• (i) Risk-related zoning and building codes.
• (ii) Protection of environmental buffers.
• (iii) Management of floods and droughts.
• (iv) Protection of critical facilities e.g.
  hospitals.
• (v) Early warning and response systems.
• (vi) Public education and awareness raising.

8
www.unisdr.org

• Challenges?
• - Building on existing capacities and
  institutions, including the Hyogo Framework for
  Action and the ISDR System.
• - National policy integration and cross-sector
  cooperation.
• - Integrating DRR and CCA into development.
• - Capacity development for resilience especially
  at community and municipality levels ensuring
  funds reach local levels.
• - Solving the funding issues size of funds
  mechanisms to deal with the additionality
  principle of climate change effects
  demonstrating economic value balancing ex ante
  versus ex post intervention tracking, monitoring
  and evaluation.

9
www.unisdr.org
Two new initiatives at Poznan

• Cooperation between IASC and ISDR at COP-14
• - Aim to raise humanitarian issues in climate
  change.
• - IFRC, OCHA, UNISDR, UNHCR, WFP.
• - Joint press conference, side event, and
  bilaterals with USA, Mexico, Europeans,
  G77/SIDS.
• - ISDR presentation to AWG-LCA was jointly done
  with IASC.
• - Need to now develop substantive guidance via
  ISDR system.
• UNISDR hosts DRR experts at Poznan
• - Aim to bridge gap between DRR and CC
  policymaking, and to strengthen national
  capacities.
• - Argentina, Cook Islands, Mexico,
  Philippines, Sudan.
• - Part of, and welcomed by, national
  delegations.
• - Successful we hope to repeat this at future
  meetings.

10
www.unisdr.org
Key outcomes and highlights

• No new steps on adaptation negotiations.
• But strong recognition of disaster risk reduction
  and Hyogo Framework at AWG-LCA Workshop (e.g.
  Bangladesh, AOSIS, China, EU, Peru, Philippines,
  USA)
• Some Parties call for common framework between
  DRR and adaptation this is critical opportunity
  for ISDR System.
• Funding mechanisms under intense consideration
  another critical opportunity for ISDR System
  alignment.
• Strong interest in insurance UNISDR must
  respond to this.
• Calls for guidance for risk reduction action
  methods, tools, economic information, etc, for
  scaling-up national efforts

11
www.unisdr.org
Lessons for the Secretariat

• Strengthen our support of national actors, to
  bridge the CC and DRR gap and build capacities.
• Intensify relationship with UNFCCC secretariat
  and processes, to support and guide them on risk
  issues.
• Strengthen the multi-partner ISDR thematic
  partnership on CC and DRR, for policy directions
  and tool development.
• Stimulate new or stronger ISDR System thematic
  partnerships to provide guidance for key sectors.
• Initiate dialogue with key Parties on the idea of
  a common framework between DRR and adaptation.
• Stimulate dialogue and policy development to
  harmonise funding mechanisms for DRR and CC
  adaptation.

12
www.unisdr.org
Concluding points

• Climate change is an accelerant of risk and DRR.
• Critical point stage is set for significant
  growth of effort to reduce vulnerability and
  risks.
• Core instruments are in place UNFCCC
  mechanisms, Hyogo Framework for Action.
• Substantial basis of technical guidance
  available.
• National and regional strategies and capacities
  are growing but are often still embryonic, with
  DRR and CC de-linked.
• Scaling-up the effort to reduce risks and prepare
  for climate change remains a central challenge.
• Funding mechanisms need substantial development.
• Urgent and important role for UNISDR and ISDR
  System, including demonstrating integration of
  DRR and CCA .