The Ninth Session of the Conference of the Parties (COPs) of the UNFCCC is about to be held in Milan, Italy during 1 to 12 December 2003. Until the COP8, held in last year in New Delhi, the climate change debate has predominantly been circled around the issues concerning Annex I countries (those having annual per capita GHG emissions above the threshold), particularly their targets of reducing GHG emissions with respect to 1990 emission levels under Article 4.2b of the Framework Convention. The protocol, signed in Kyoto in 1997, that suppose to facilitate implementation of the UNFCCC, provided mechanisms, again to help developed and industrialized countries to comply to their respective commitments under the Climate Convention. Successive COPs, however, paid little attention to the second objective of the UNFCCC, that deals with adaptation to climate change – enabling vulnerable communities to reduce their vulnerability. The Delhi Declaration, an outcome of the COP8 reestablished the need for developing countries towards planning and preparing for adaptation to climate
change.

Very little progress has, however, so far been made on integrating adaptation in the developing countries, particularly in the most vulnerable ones and LDCs. COP8 righteously highlighted the concerns of the developing countries to respond to the adverse impacts of climate change. Meanwhile, the links among development, sustainability and equity have been established with glaring examples from developing countries. It was concluded that impacts of climate change would pose serious threats to make any meaningful attempt for addressing these inter-linked issues. It was reiterated that, the march toward sustainable development would remain a distant dream on the part of the vulnerable developing countries under climate change scenarios.

In this backdrop, it appears most appropriate for the Developing Country Parties to reaffirm their position, in general, in favour of adaptation and in particular, for building capacity for identifying, planning, and implementing (including financing) adaptation for effectively reducing adverse consequences of climate related hazards. COP9 must deliver mechanisms to build and/or enhance capacity at various tiers of Developing Countries on socially acceptable, environmentally sustainable, economically viable and technically feasible adaptations to climate change. COP9 must come out with a concrete and time-bound programme on capacity building in developing countries.

A major challenge faced by the concerned Parties is to identify adaptation needs of the Developing Countries. The first step is to examine how people at the grassroots use to cope under a given climatic variability and analyze whether such ‘survival coping strategies’ should be enough to address the future needs under climate change regime. Analysis should also entail detailed mapping of national (and regional, if applicable) preparedness, institutional capacity and financial requirements and limitations, to reduce vulnerability to extreme weather events. Such an effort should be facilitated by the UNFCCC Secretariat, perhaps with active participation of UNDP, UNEP, GEF and other international bodies. Steps must be taken to identify whether local capacities for such analysis and assessments do exist, and resources need to be mobilized to expedite the process.

As a potential second step, the new modalities of adaptation blended with traditional wisdom suited to the local conditions must be examined on a case by case basis for their adequacy. Such an analysis should ideally cover sectors such as water resources, disaster management, health, people’s well being, ecosystems and natural resource base, coastal zone etc. Each of the adaptation must then be analyzed for their suitability in application depending on the responses of the communities concerned and techno-econo-environmental feasibility. The social, political and economic context of the country in question must be kept in mind while opting for a preferred adaptation. Through the second step a prioritization of a national level adaptation may be accomplished.

There is no denying the fact that technology will play a significant role in successfully implementing adaptation in any given country. In fact, many of the long-term planned adaptations could only be implemented by utilizing cutting-edge technologies. Unfortunately, developing countries have very little understanding about investment-intensive high-techs and their financial capability to procure and utilize such technologies. The COP9 must pave the way for the developing countries, particularly for the LDCs, to (a) enhance/build their capacity to acquire technical know-how on the technologies that not only would ensure adaptation, also would accrue great benefits in terms of facilitating sustainable development of the country, and (b) increase financial capability to procure these technologies from their wealthier counterparts. The developed countries must provide subsidies, in the tune of the usual subsidies they offer in agriculture and other sectors in the name of market protection, to the developing countries while the latter would procure ‘adaptation technologies’ from the former. Therefore, the LDCs should be allowed to procure technologies at subsidized rates and high costs for cutting edge technologies would not be a deterring factor, limiting possibilities for technology-driven adaptation. Meanwhile, The UN system as whole should come forward with extensive training programme targeting at advancement of technical know-how for the practitioners representing the developing countries. The paltry resources made available from the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) could be better utilized for building capacity of the developing countries.

Once adaptation programmes for each of the vulnerable Developing Country Parties are completed and shared with the global community, financial resources from the Adaptation Fund, in accordance with Article 4.4 under the Climate Convention, should be made available to the developing countries for meeting costs of adaptation. Meeting the costs of adaptation to climate change in developing countries has been accorded in the Kyoto Protocol as a responsibility of the Annex II (i.e, industrialized) Countries of the protocol. COP9 is urged to make sure that these do not always remain unfulfilled promises.

Almost 12 years have gone by and the issues concerning capacity building, transfer of technology, financial resources to deal with the adverse impacts of climate change, and setting up a large adaptation fund have all remained sidelined in the negotiations. COP9 delegates must ensure that attention of the deliberations is refocused on these unresolved issues. We sincerely hope that the global community will rise to this occasion and pave the way for a sustainable future.