At SBSTA 56, Parties agreed to strengthen the role of the NWP in closing knowledge gaps in order to facilitate the scaling up of adaptation action. This strengthens NWPs contribution to facilitating achievement of the goals of the Paris Agreement:

1. Enhancing country- and region-specific actions, including by scaling up the Lima Adaptation Knowledge Initiative in all regions, to identify and close knowledge gaps in partnership with subregional partners and networks;
2. Enhancing practical, relevant knowledge on adaptation practices: This includes providing knowledge and expertise to formulate and implement national adaptation plans, help countries find out about finance, capacity building and technology transfer to implement, adapt and contribute to the Glasgow–Sharm el-Sheikh work programme on the global goal on adaptation and the global stocktake;
3. Strengthening ties among communities of practice in order to enhance adaptation action through knowledge;
4. Strengthening the monitoring and evaluation of work under the NWP with the aim of enhancing and facilitating the dissemination and uptake of knowledge products by those who will enact adaptation.

Read NWP conclusions

Evidence of enhancing adaptation action through knowledge

To scale up adaptation action and achieve the objectives of the Convention and the Paris Agreement, countries need access to practical, actionable knowledge. Find below examples from panellists of the NWP side event at the June Climate Talks that illustrate how work under the NWP has enhanced adaptation action through knowledge:

• Vulnerable groups, communities and ecosystems are at risk of being excluded from adaptation planning and implementation, which could exacerbate their existing vulnerability. Kenel Delusca, the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) Chair, highlighted how the NWP and its partners supported the work of the LEG in providing information on vulnerable groups, communities and ecosystems in formulating and implementing NAPs.

• Integrating biodiversity into adaptation strategies is a challenge for many countries. Sakhile Kokesto, a member of the NWP expert group on biodiversity from the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) secretariat highlighted that climate change, biodiversity and ecosystems are inextricably linked. Based on the findings of a NWP scoping paper, she explained how the loss of forest and grassland biomes undermines a large, systematic source of adaptive capacity. Forest and grassland biomes cover one third and one half of the Earth’s surface, respectively. Therefore, knowledge gaps about the role forest and grassland biodiversity play in adaptation services has yet to be fully integrated into adaptation strategies.

• Absence of practical and relevant knowledge for users have been barriers to scaling up of implementation action in countries. Alvin Chandra, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), spoke about the collaboration in the context of Pacific and Small Island Developing States and ongoing collaboration with the academic partners with universities in the context of the UN Climate Change and Universities Partnership Programme. A priority knowledge workshop has helped to close knowledge gaps and access climate knowledge in the area of early warning systems. This has paved the way for non-state actors to actually work with NWP partners and national partners.

• Awareness of the role of biodiversity and oceans in enhancing resilience is growing, yet knowledge gaps persist as how we can adapt to climate change impacts. Beatriz Machado Granziera, the Nature Conservancy, spoke about her engagement as a part of the NWP expert group on oceans to prepare a supplement to the UNFCCC technical guidelines, which focused on very concrete considerations parties should take when developing proposals for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) on Nature-based Solutions and coastal adaptation. Examples of these considerations are to choose the right financial instrument (e.g. grant, loan, guarantees) or the right programme window (e.g. NAP formulation window or GFC readiness support to climate resilient recovery).

Read more about the event

Innovative Approaches for Strengthening Coastal and Ocean Adaptation: Integrating Technology and Nature-based Solutions

Innovative climate adaptation approaches that integrate both technology and nature-based solutions offer the potential to be more robust, comprehensive, and cost-effective than either solution alone.

In coastal and the ocean contexts, these solutions include early warning systems for extreme events and restoration of coastal vegetation alongside engineered seawalls to reduce the impacts of storm surges and sea level rise. Additional solutions can be investments in nature-based infrastructure, new technologies to reduce harmful fishing practices, ecosystem-based marine spatial planning with coherent networks of marine protected areas, and coastal hazard mapping.

The policy brief further highlighted the need to:

• Undertake localized adaptation solutions that combine scientific, local and indigenous knowledge, engage diverse stakeholders, and distribute benefits equitably across and within communities;
• Collaborate on transdisciplinary research and encourage mutual learning through long term monitoring and evaluation programs;
• Address the barriers that restrict access to financing;
• Foster enabling policy and regulatory frameworks to support the uptake and implementation of integrated adaptation solutions in national climate strategies;
• Build cross-sectoral partnerships, including with the private sector, to exchange knowledge and ideas, develop innovative technologies, and bolster the business case for integrated adaptation solutions.

The policy brief includes recommendations for scaling up innovative approaches to achieve multiple benefits for people and nature. A policy brief prepared jointly by the UNFCCC Technology Executive Committee (TEC), Nairobi work programme (NWP) Expert Group on Oceans, IUCN, and Friends of EbA (FEBA) was launched during the UNFCCC Ocean and Climate Change dialogue during SB 56.

Read the policy brief here

UN Climate Change and Universities Partnership Programme

Several actions have been undertaken in collaboration with universities through the UN Climate Change and Universities Partnership Programme and global and regional centres and networks to address knowledge gaps that constitute barriers to implementing adaptation action:

• The University of Michigan, in partnership with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development developed a methodological framework to understand current and projected climate-induced ecoregion shifts and their impact on biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Kangchenjunga Landscape, a transboundary landscape of the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. Read more.
• Graduate students from Wageningen University and Research undertook a comparative assessment of monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) frameworks, which yielded key recommendations and considerations for MEL actions to facilitate scaling up of adaptation action in countries. Read more.

Universities such as the National University of Rosario in Argentina; Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, Tribhuvan University of Nepal​ (Nepal) and the British University in Egypt, are similarly engaged in projects that are helping close adaptation knowledge gaps in Latin America and the Caribbean, South-East Asia, Hindu Kush and Middle East & North Africa.

Learn more about the partnership programme and ongoing work here.

Increasing knowledge about adaptation in the MENA Region – learning about the climate-smart agriculture and nature-based solutions for adaptation

Progress was showcased at the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Climate Week 2022 on the implementation of actions in the North Africa and Gulf Cooperation Council in West Asia subregions to close adaptation knowledge gaps that hinder climate action.

Actions include:

1. A toolbox to strengthen socio-ecological systems resilience to climate risks in the Arab Region: This toolbox brings packages information to improve the readiness in addressing climate-related hazards in the Arab Region. The toolbox fosters implementation of disaster risk reduction in alignment with 2015-2025 Sendai Framework and UNFCCC agreements.
2. Training manual for agricultural extension agents: The training manual offers a step-by-step instruction on how to use long-term climate data in crop models. This will help identify adaptation options in: rainfed agroecosystem, irrigated agroecosystem, and semi-arid agroecosystem.
3. Climate smart agriculture application: This smart application includes drought monitoring data and hotspot fire maps to serve as an early warning system platform. The target users include farmers and agricultural students.

Read more about LAKI session @ 2022 MENA climate week

NWP thematic expert group initiates work on agriculture and food security

The Nairobi work programme (NWP) expert group on agriculture and food security is set to strengthen adaptation action for agriculture and food security.The expert group will help address adaptation knowledge gaps and challenges through collaboration among expert group members with the UNFCCC constituted bodies, other thematic expert groups of the NWP, NWP partners as well as communities of practice. The expert group is comprised of representatives from organizations working in agriculture and food security. A draft scoping paper has identified adaptation- and resilience-related knowledge needs and good practices for agriculture and food security based on information in national reports, including national adaptation plans (NAPs) and nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and other relevant information.

The first expert group meeting will take place in September 2022 to discuss the paper and solicit inputs to design the 15th Focal Point Forum to be held at COP 27.

Read more here

Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG)

Launch of the roster of experts

Are you an adaptation expert from a Least Developed Country (LDC)? Sign up for the National Adaptation Plan Roster of experts!

The LDC Expert Group launched a call for expression of interest for a roster of national and regional experts from the LDCs to support the formulation and implementation of national adaptation plans (NAPs). Interested experts from the LDCs are invited to apply by sending a completed application form to the LEG at [email protected].

NAP writing workshop in the Asia Pacific

The writing workshop on national adaptation plans (NAPs) for Asia Pacific least developed countries (LDCs) is part of the direct country support on NAPs being conducted by the LEG, to address specific technical topics that advance the formulation and implementation of NAPs. Country participants each produced at least two project ideas for climate change adaptation to kickstart the process of project proposals development for priorities indicated in their NAPs. The workshop was hosted by the Government of Cambodia from 12 to 15 July 2022 in Siem Reap and was attended by around 60 participants from Parties and organizations.

Paris Committee on Capacity Building (PCCB)

On 19th July 2022, the Paris Committee on Capacity-building (PCCB) hosted a side event at the Latin America and the Caribbean Climate Week on “Capacities needed for the horizontal and vertical integration of NDCs”. Participants learnt about the NDC integration and capacity-building efforts of the Dominican Republic, the NDC Partnerhip’s support in promoting NDC mainstreaming, and the WWF’s assessments of the NDCs in the LAC region. Through the discussions, some capacity needs and gaps identified to scale-up horizontal and vertical integration of NDCs were the need for governments to conduct initial capacity assessments, the need for NDCs to be integrated with finance discussions, and system-wide approaches to NDCs. 

Learn more

Increasing financial preparedness of Pacific islanders through implementing climate risk insurance for the most vulnerable

The UNCDF, UNU-EHS and UNDP are jointly implementing the Pacific Insurance and Climate Adaptation Programme (PICAP). Nearing the end of its inception phase in 2022, the Programme can showcase a number of successes and tangible results.

Together with local insurance providers the first two parametric insurance products in the Pacific were launched in Fiji, registering 1,388 households in fishing and farming communities. The Fiji government is providing strong support making Fiji one of the first countries to exempt VAT from climate risk insurance products as well as committing to finance climate risk insurance for social welfare beneficiaries.

PICAP is now working on scaling up its work in other Pacific island countries, Vanuatu, Tonga and beyond.

Learn more

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