Global Commission on Adaptation: A New Era of Adaptation Governance
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ISLAMABAD - Climate change is real threat for humanity and it is well recognized around the globe. Recent special report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on 1.5 Degrees emphasized that more coordinated actions are required to effectively address the challenge of climate change. On the heels of Paris Accord 2015, attentions are given for adaptation to climate change as the mitigation alone is not sufficient to tackle climate change. Various adaptation measures are taking place in many countries.
The Global Commission on Adaptation (GCA) is the latest and a notable initiative for adaptation to climate change. In the month of October, 2018 global leaders launched the commission in Hague, Netherlands to expedite climate adaptation solutions, address obstacles that are slowing adaptation, and the transformation required to adapt to climate change. The GCA is led by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon together with Co-chair Bill Gates of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Kristalina Georgieva head of World Bank.
The objective of GCA is to raise awareness of decision makers and the public about the opportunities of increased resilience to climate impacts and natural hazards. It focuses to ensure that governments and businesses incorporate climate change risks into their social and economic development plans and investments. Moreover, the GCA is established to ensure that adaptation efforts help the world’s poorest and most vulnerable; and raise the level of global leadership on the issue.
The GCA aims to accelerate adaptation action in seven areas, namely: climate-resilient food and rural livelihood security; resilient cities; ecosystem-based solutions; adaptation finance; resilient global supply chains; climate resilient infrastructure; and climate-resilient social protection. It will help to ensuring adaptation action and support reaches the most vulnerable communities around the world. This will be helpful to improve the capacity of local community for adaptation.
Adaptation is necessary as it not only helps to curb the climatic impacts, but also improves human well-being and leads to better and more sustainable economic development and security. It is pertinent to mention that the costs of adapting are lower than those economies will face if they continue with a business-as-usual approach. Therefore, it is imperative that the societies especially the local communities should learn how to adapt with the existing challenge of climate change. Ban Ki-moon said that adapting to climate change “will require a complete transformation of policies, programs and projects across governments, the private sector, and civil society.”
The GCA will work in support of the process of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In its first year, the GCA intends to prepare a report explaining why adapting to climate risks and accelerated actions are essential, what new actions need to be taken and what must be done differently, how we can start working now to make the world a safer and better place, and calling on governments, companies, and citizens to respond urgently.
The representatives of the GCA will visit many countries to observe the progress of adaptation and to consult and explore the required adaptation actions. The GCA will present its findings and recommendations at the UN Climate Summit next year in New York in September, 2019. It will also convene champions, coalitions, the private sector and civil society representatives to advance activities in adapting the negative consequences of climate change.
The launch event for the GCA was attended by score of important representatives of different countries and international organizations from across the world. It shows how the world is concerned about climate change especially they are recognizing and understanding the importance of adaptation to climate change. The creation of the GCA is an unprecedented and timely initiative of international community on adaptation.
Although adaptation is a global challenge, global leadership on the issue is scarce. In short, the world is falling short of the transformation required to adapt to a changing climate. However, the establishment of the GCA is a promising step to highlight the importance of adaptation and accelerate adaptation actions for tackling climate change. Time will define the actual success of the GCA.
BY: Mohammad Mumtaz (The writer is a Policy Analyst and PhD Fellow in Public Administration and Government at Getulio Vargas Foundation, Sao Paulo, Brazil. He is a former PhD Visiting Fellow at University of Delaware, USA.)
