Perspective on Water and Climate Change in UNFCCC Negotiations Chris Moseki Water Research Commission of SA Africa Pavilion – COP17 3 December 2011

Perspective on Water and Climate Change in UNFCCC Negotiations

Chris Moseki Water Research Commission of SA

Africa Pavilion – COP173 December 2011

Overview

1. Where is water located under the UNFCCC?2. Commitment of Parties to the Convention 3. What does the NWP seek to achieve (aim)?4. Areas of work that constitute the Programme5. Activities & progress to date - regarding the

implementation of the Programme6. Water as an important theme within the NWP7. Challenges/opportunities of water as a potential

stand-alone item on the SBSTA/COP agenda

Water & Climate COP17 Dec 2011 2

Where is water currently discussed or located under the UNFCCC?

• Papers & Programmes:The Nairobi Work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate changeThe 2008 Climate Change and Water IPCC Technical Paper VIThe NAPAs under the LDC Work ProgrammeThe NWP Synthesis on Climate Change and Freshwater Resources (developed in collaboration with GWP)United Nations FCCC/TP/2011/5 Technical Paper on Water & Climate Change impact and adaptation strategies (dated 22/11/2011)

• Discussions:• Nowhere ... or weakly within various sectors


Article 4 paragraph 1(e) of the Convention

...commits Parties to “develop and elaborate appropriate and integrated

plans coastal zone management, water resources and agriculture, and

for the protection and rehabilitation of areas, particularly in Africa, affected by drought and desertification, as well a

floods.”


Implementation of the NWP

Scope of work under the NWP is categorized into 2 thematic areas:-

• Impacts and vulnerability: entailsMethodologies & tools for vulnerability assessments, etcExchange & access to observation data and monitoringPromote understanding of info on socio-econ aspects

• Adaptation planning and action:Promote dissemination of methods & toolsInfo on practical adaptation action + indigenous knowledgeTools for econ diversification, resilience & reducing reliance on vulnerable economic sectors, etc


What does the NWP seek to achieve?

The NWP aims to assist all Parties, in particular DCs, including the LDCs and Small Island Developing States, to improve their understanding and assessment of impacts, vulnerability and adaptation;

and To assist all Parties to make informed decisions on

practical adaptation actions and measures to respond to climate change on a sound scientific, technical and socio-economic basis, taking into account current and future climate change and variability.


Structured according to 9 areas of work

Methods & tools, Data & observation, Climate modelling, scenarios & downscaling Climate related risks and extremes Socio-economic information Adaptation planning and practices Research Technology for adaptation Economic diversification


What has been done/achieved?

A number of expert workshops were organised Various organisations and relevant institutions

were invited to contribute info to the NWP Submit info/experiences to the UNFCCC secretariat Fund research that support the objectives of NWP

To date, 19 organisations & 56 pledges

That is knowledge base has been provided on continuous basis, intended for support to all Parties in general, but DC, LDCs & SIDSs in particular


Progress or examples of what implementation under the NWP entails

• Progress regarding implementation activities of the NWP (has been reported since 2008)

Action pledges by various organisations - e.g. UNDP: developing country-level climate profilesFAO – assisting Nigeria to assess adaptation requirements in the agricultural sectorMet Office of UK developed climate scenarios in support of the Nairobi Work Programme, etc


Water & NWP

It is quite clear that the NWP is currently the only Programme within the UNFCCC that is markedly water related

However, it is neither only about water nor directly addressing policy related issues on water

The programme broadly supports adaptation action


Cancun Adaptation Framework at COP16

COP16 by its Decision 1/CP.16 paragraph 14(a) • Makes specific reference to water resources,

freshwater, marine ecosystems and coastal zones in the context of “planning, prioritizing, and implementing adaptation actions, including projects and programmes ...”


However,

The NWP is limited to measures & toolsAdaptation–mitigation linkages, and other water resource

management issues (e.g. regulatory, use, etc) are missingWater is key to successful mitigation action

Aim: to make water integral part of climate agendaGWP advocates for inclusion of water on COP agenda

Hence, based on Art 4(1)e of the ConventionCancun agreement on “planning, prioritizing and

implementing adaptation actions, including projects and programmes, inter alia, in the areas of water resources”

This led to a call for water programme under UNFCCC to be established through SBSTA in Bonn (June 2011)


Water & NWP

In Bonn, Some role players brought in other issues onto

the table thus disabling the chance for water to be considered for discussion

Others used the relationship between NWP and Water to suggest that Water could be addressed under or within the Nairobi Work Programme

Perhaps the challenge is whether there was a formal agreement on water as an agenda item


The latest on NWP

The revision of the NWP, aims to strengthen it by improving action oriented approach with links to national and sub-national programmes

The question is whether given the design and objective of the Nairobi Work Programme, it can (or not) accommodate water issues raised


If WATER were to be an agenda item,

Some of the intended functions would bePolicy principle: Guide technical & policy expertise on

water (as it relates to both mitigation and adaptation)Finance: Guide access to Green Climate Fund and other

financial mechanisms under the Convention on the allocation of financial resources for water management,

Coherence: Interface between water-related policy, practice and science, and other issues, processes and mechanisms under the UNFCCC


THANK YOU


Documents

Perspective on Water and Climate Change in UNFCCC Negotiations Chris Moseki Water Research Commission of SA Africa Pavilion – COP17 3 December 2011