UNITED NATIONS Application of Environmentally Sound
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UNITED NATIONS Distr. GENERAL FCCC/TP/2006/2 10 May 2006 ENGLISH ONLY Application of environmentally sound technologies for adaptation to climate change Technical paper∗ Summary This technical paper provides an overview of (i) the current knowledge and understanding of adaptation to climate change, (ii) a framework for assessing technologies for adaptation to climate change, (iii) the process of technology development and transfer as relevant to adaptation to climate change, (iv) examples of important technologies for adaptation in five sectors (coastal zones, water resources, agriculture, public health, and infrastructure), together with three case studies for each sector, and (v) a synthesis of findings that have implications for climate policy. The paper argues that many technologies exist to adapt to natural weather related hazards and that these technologies can also play an important part in reducing vulnerability to climate change. Hard and soft technologies are available to develop information and raise awareness, to plan and design adaptation strategies, to implement adaptation strategies, and to monitor and evaluate their performance. The paper provides examples of technologies that can be employed to accomplish them. ∗ This technical paper was commissioned by the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and was prepared by Richard J.T. Klein, Mozaharul Alam, Ian Burton, William W. Dougherty, Kristie L. Ebi, Martha Fernandes, Annette Huber-Lee, Atiq A. Rahman, and Chris Swartz. The paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the secretariat although in some instances the secretariat introduced some modifications. It provides a wide coverage of technologies for adaptation without prejudice to any definition or delineation of these technologies that may be instituted through the UNFCCC process. GE.06-62251 FCCC/TP/2006/2 Page 2 CONTENTS Paragraphs Page I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................. 1–12 5 II. INTRODUCTION................................................................................ 13–29 8 A. Mandate................................................................................... 13–14 8 B. Scope of the technical paper ................................................... 15–16 8 C. Background ............................................................................. 17–25 9 D. Relevant UNFCCC articles, decisions and definitions........... 26–29 10 III. CLIMATE AND ADAPTATION........................................................ 30–51 12 A. Climate variability and change ............................................... 31–37 12 B. Types of adaptation to climate change.................................... 38–45 13 C. The process of adapting to climate change ............................. 46–51 15 IV. TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION ............................................ 52–83 17 A. Technologies for adaptation to climate change ...................... 53–59 17 B. The role of technology in adaptation ...................................... 60–64 19 C. Flows of technology transfer in the context of adaptation...... 65–77 20 D. Criteria in selecting technologies for adaptation .................... 78–83 22 V. COASTAL ZONES.............................................................................. 84–136 23 A. Introduction............................................................................. 85–93 23 B. Adaptation strategies............................................................... 94–113 25 C. Role of technology in adaptation ............................................ 114–118 31 D. Enhancing flows of technology for adaptation ....................... 119–132 32 E. Conclusions............................................................................. 133–136 34 VI. WATER RESOURCES........................................................................ 137–186 35 A. Introduction............................................................................. 138–142 35 B. Adaptation strategies............................................................... 143–165 36 C. Role of technology in adaptation ............................................ 166–176 43 D. Enhancing flows of technology for adaptation ....................... 177–182 45 E. Conclusions............................................................................. 183–186 46 FCCC/TP/2006/2 Page 3 VII. AGRICULTURE.................................................................................. 187–236 46 A. Introduction............................................................................. 188–193 47 B. Adaptation strategies............................................................... 194–209 48 C. Role of technology in adaptation ............................................ 210–214 51 D. Enhancing flows of technology for adaptation ....................... 215–234 52 E. Conclusions............................................................................. 235–236 55 VIII. PUBLIC HEALTH............................................................................... 237–279 56 A. Introduction............................................................................. 238–250 56 B. Adaptation strategies............................................................... 251–262 60 C. Role of technology in adaptation ............................................ 263–267 62 D. Enhancing flows of technology for adaptation ....................... 268–276 64 E. Conclusions............................................................................. 277–279 66 IX. INFRASTRUCTURE........................................................................... 280–325 67 A. Introduction............................................................................. 281–288 67 B. Adaptation strategies............................................................... 289–306 69 C. Role of technology in adaptation ............................................ 307–312 72 D. Enhancing flows of technology for adaptation ....................... 313–321 74 E. Conclusions............................................................................. 322–325 75 X. CASE STUDIES FOR TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION....... 326–430 75 A. Coastal zones........................................................................... 327–341 76 B. Water resources....................................................................... 342–363 78 C. Agriculture .............................................................................. 364–381 82 D. Public health............................................................................ 382–400 84 E. Infrastructure........................................................................... 401–430 87 XI. SYNTHESIS OF MAJOR FINDINGS ................................................ 431–456 93 A. Technology and adaptation ..................................................... 431–439 93 B. Sectors and adaptation ............................................................ 440–449 95 C. Broad policy questions............................................................ 450–456 97 FCCC/TP/2006/2 Page 4 Annexes I. Decisions of the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC relating to technology transfer ........................................................................ 98 II. List of references ............................................................................... 100 FCCC/TP/2006/2 Page 5 I. Executive summary 1. This technical paper aims to provide an overview of (i) the current knowledge and understanding of adaptation to climate change, (ii) a framework for assessing technologies for adaptation to climate change, (iii) the process of technology development and transfer as relevant to adaptation to climate change, (iv) examples of important technologies for adaptation, together with case studies and (v) a synthesis of findings that have implications for climate policy. 2. The paper is the latest in a series of publications on technologies for adaptation that have been prepared within the UNFCCC process. An initial report, providing an inventory and assessment of technologies to mitigate and adapt to climate change, was prepared by the UNFCCC secretariat in 1996 (FCCC/SBSTA/1996/4). It identified what type of information on technologies and know-how would be most useful to the Parties to the UNFCCC. The emphasis of the initial report was on mitigation, reflecting the predominant political interest and the state of knowledge at the time. Much has changed in the time since that initial paper, reflecting the increasing attention of the Conference of the Parties (COP) on the urgent need for adaptation activities. 3. Climate change is among the most daunting environmental problems faced by the world today. The Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2001) has shown that no country and no region of the world will be unaffected, and in many countries the consequences for all human activities will be profound. The development of technologies and practices for adapting to climate related stresses is well under way as societies have been coping for millennia with the extremes of climate variability. Yet, the prospect of long-term climate change is now leading decision makers to do some hard thinking about the role of technology, mechanisms that ensure its access to the sectors and communities that need it to adapt, and how this process of adaptation can fit within and serve the broad goals of sustainable