The AIACC Project Assessments of Impacts and Adaptations to Climate Change in Multiple Regions

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The AIACC ProjectAssessments of Impacts and
Adaptations to Climate Change in Multiple Regions
Sectors

• UNFCCC Workshop
• Bonn
• 9 June 2003

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Variations of the Earths Surface Temperature
(IPCC, 2001)
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Developing countries are particularly vulnerable

• Significant exposures to potentially adverse
  impacts on crop yields, human health, water
• Large share of population earns livelihoods from
  climate sensitive activities (agriculture,
  livestock, fisheries)
• Large share of population lives in extreme
  poverty
• Low capacity to adapt due to low levels of human,
  financial, natural, physical and technological
  resources limited institutional capabilities

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Developing sound adaptation strategies requires
good science

• Scientific investigation needed to answer
• Who are most vulnerable?
• What are the causes of their vulnerability?
• What are their options for adaptation and what
  are the consequences and costs of adaptation?
• Answering these questions can help to identify
  effective adaptation strategies

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AIACC Partners

• AIACC is a partnership among GEF, UNEP, START,
  TWAS, IPCC, and developing country institutions
• GEF provides the principal funding
• UNEP is the implementing agency
• START and TWAS are the executing agencies
• Participating institutions in developing
  countries have provided collateral funding
• Additional funding comes from USAID, USEPA, CIDA
  and World Bank

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AIACC Objectives

• Advance scientific understanding
• Of climate change I, A V in developing country
  regions.
• Build and enhance scientific technical capacity
  in developing countries
• To investigate I, A V and
• To participate in international scientific
  assessments (e.g. IPCC, MA)
• Contribute to National Communications, NAPAs and
  adaptation planning

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Means to achieving objectives

• Fund regional research projects
• Provide training and mentoring
• Engage stakeholders in the project
• Link with National Communications
• Establish a network of scientists and
  stakeholders to endure beyond the AIACC project

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AIACC funds regional research

• 150 proposals submitted
• Proposals were peer reviewed
• 24 Awards made in 2002 based on
• Scientific merit
• Regional significance
• Endorsed by GEF National Focal Points
• 100k-250k awarded to regional studies for 2-3
  years of research
• Regional studies add to scientific knowledge and
  capacity

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AIACC studies active in 46 developing countries

• Each study involves a team of scientists from
  multiple disciplines
• 235 scientists from developing countries
  participating as investigators
• 60 graduate and undergraduate students
• 40 scientists from developed countries
  collaborating

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AIACC provides training

• Global training workshops
• Regional workshops organized by regional study
  teams
• Additional small grants to AIACC participants
  (USAID supported)
• Visiting scientist exchanges
• Develop implement own training activities

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AIACC Provides Mentoring
Team of 10 AIACC mentors to assist throughout the
project

• Advice on methods, data, scenarios, models
• Troubleshooting
• Referrals to other sources of expertise
• Encourage/facilitate peer review publication
• Encourage/facilitate contributions to National
  Communications

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Stakeholders, Natl Communications, Networks

• AIACC engages stakeholders
• For input to objectives, approaches, evaluation
  of adaptations, review of outputs
• AIACC links with National Communications
• Each regional study making contact with relevant
  ministries, committees, persons
• AIACC builds networks
• Through participation in studies, workshops,
  discuss aiacc list-serve, and web-based
  database and information network

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Commonalities among regional studies

• Most are interested in
• Near-term consequences of climate change for
  people
• Interactions with other stresses or threats
• Human and social aspects of vulnerability
• Response strategies (i.e. adaptation) that would
  lessen risks from climate change AND address
  other more immediate threats
• Has led many AIACC studies to take a 2nd
  Generation approach to assessment

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2nd-Generation Assessments

• Emphasize understanding human side of
  vulnerabilities
• Who is vulnerable to harm? From what? Why?
• Explore multiple, interacting stresses
• Climate change, extreme weather, population
  growth, land use change, urbanization, land
  degradation . . .
• Evaluate responses, adaptations
• Focus responses on causes of vulnerability
• Engage stakeholders
• Enhance relevance, utility, credibility

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Anticipated outcomes

• Advance science
• Publication of peer reviewed papers, thematic
  reports that expand literature on developing
  country I, A and V
• Citation of AIACC findings in IPCC MA reports
• Build capacity
• Participants continue their research and link to
  policy
• Increased numbers of developing country
  researchers engaged in IPCC, global change
  research
• Contribute to National Communications
• AIACC participants collaborate in preparation of
  Natl Communications
• Use of AIACC findings in National Communicaitons