Adaptation & Technology Gaps
Anne Olhoff
Head of Programme Climate Resilient Development
UNEP Risø Centre
UNEP Adaptation Knowledge Day V, Bonn, 9 June 2014
Outline
•Drawing
Adaptation
on: gaps: why, what and where
• Gaps
UNEP's
in the
forthcoming
context ofAdaptation
technologies
Gapfor
Report
adaptation
2014
• Adaptation
Experience technologies
from Technology
and country
Needs Assessment
priorities project
• Climate Technology Centre and Network involvement
The concept of adaptation gaps
•
•
Broad: a lack of and need for, for example, additional
finance, policies and legislation, capacity, knowledge,
and technology
Precise: the difference between a climate resilience
target and the level achieved with current adaptation
efforts:
–
–
–
–
–
Targets or preferred levels of climate resilience and action
differ across countries, districts and communities
Have the potential to make adaptation more 'actionable'
Can support NAP and other country processes, UNFCCC
discussions (Global Goal for Adaptation and Loss & Damage)
At various levels: global, regional, national and sub-national
At various levels of detail: aggregate or specific
Conceptualising adaptation gaps: the IPCC
•
•
IPCC WGII Glossary: Adaptation deficit defined as "the
gap between the current state of a system and a state
that minimizes adverse impacts from existing climate
conditions and variability"
IPCC AR5 WGII: Potential now and in the future for
additional adaptation and mitigation to reduce risks
compared to risk levels with current adaptation
Illustration of gaps: Key regional climate
risks and risk reduction potentials
Risk-Level
Very
Low
Med
Very
High
Present
Near Term (2030-2040)
Long Term 2°C
(2080-2100) 4°C
Risk Level with
High Adaptation
Source: IPCC WGII AR5 slides
Potential for
Risk Level with
Additional
Current Adaptation
Adaptation to
Reduce Risk
Africa: Key climate risks and adaptation risk
reduction potential
Source: IPCC WGII AR5 SPM
Adaptation technology gap - Africa
example on crop productivity
The part of an adaptation gap that can be filled through
additional adaptation technology action, including:
•
•
•
Hard technology (physical elements, including machinery and
equipment): Drought tolerant crops; irrigation systems
Soft technology (information, knowledge and skills): Early warning
systems/weather forecasting; agricultural management practices
Organisational technology (re-organisation or establishment of
networks and institutions): Agricultural extension services
Definitions of technology and technologies for adaptation:
"a piece of equipment, technique, practical knowledge or skills for
performing a particular activity." (IPCC Special Report 2000)
"The application of technology in order to reduce the vulnerability, or
enhance the resilience, of a natural or human system to the impacts of
climate change’"(UNFCCC, 2010)
Adaptation, technology and gaps
•
Technology only one of the determinants of adaptive
capacity and must be seen in the context of economic,
social, institutional, and equity
•
Broad perception of technologies for adaptation
facilitates holistic approach but illustrates need for
coordination across adaptation planning and
implementation
Adaptation technology priorities of countries: The
Technology Needs Assessment Project
•
Country-driven activities to identify and determine the mitigation
and adaptation technology priorities of countries
–
–
–
–
•
•
Technology needs assessment
Barrier and enabling framework analysis
Technology action plans
Training, methodology development, guidebooks,
'TechWiki'/databases
36 countries in Africa, Asia & CIS, and Latin America & the
Caribbean (first phase 2009-2013); 24 new countries (second
phase starting 2014)
Key component of the Poznan Strategic Programme on Technology
Transfer supported by the GEF and Implemented by UNEP Risø
Centre and UNEP
Adaptation technologies prioritised (by sector)
Agriculture
31%
Coastal
Zone
9%
Tourism
Public
2%
Health
4%
Other
25%
Observation,
Measurement & Modeling
4%
Natural Disasters
3%
Energy
1%
Waste
management
1%
Biodiversity
1%
Water
35%
Infrastructure
4%
Education
1%
LULUCF & Forestry
4%
Adaptation technologies prioritised (by type)
Total distribution
Summing up
•
•
•
•
Adaptation and technology gaps are explicitly or
implicitly related to targets or goals
These can potentially be established at all levels
ranging from local to global
Technology needs assessment processes in countries
illustrate gaps and potentials
Addressing gaps requires careful consideration of all
aspects of adaptive capacity
http://tech-action.org/
Online database
Country information
Guidebooks