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The AIACC Project Assessments of Impacts and Adaptations to Climate Change

The AIACC project focuses on building scientific capacity and advancing understanding of climate change impacts and vulnerabilities. It aims to link science and policy communities for better adaptation planning. The project has addressed various topics such as agriculture, water resources, land use, and rural livelihoods.

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The AIACC Project Assessments of Impacts and Adaptations to Climate Change

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  1. The AIACC ProjectAssessments of Impacts and Adaptations to Climate Change Neil Leary, AIACC Science Director AIACC Regional Workshop for Latin America & Caribbean Buenos Aires, 24-27 August 2004

  2. Background • GEF enabling project • climate change focal area • Geographic scope: Global • Project period: 2001-2005 • Implementing Agency: UNEP • Executing Agencies: START & TWAS • Collaboration between IPCC, UNEP, START, and TWAS

  3. Funding • GEF Grant $7.5 million • Developing country partner co-financing $1.8 million • USAID $300 thousand • CIDA $100 thousand • USEPA $50 thousand • Total project cost $9.75 million

  4. AIACC Objectives • Build scientific and technical capacity to support National Communications • Advance scientific understanding of climate change impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation opportunities • Link science and policy communities for adaptation planning

  5. Means for achieving objectives • Implement regional V&A assessments • “Learning-By-Doing” capacity building • Supplement by technical support, mentoring, training, and networking • Engage stakeholders • Work with National Communications • Synthesis • Workshops, publications, science & stakeholder meetings

  6. Topics of Regional Assessments(Number of projects addressing each topic noted in parentheses) • Agriculture/food security (14) • Water resources (13) • Land use (7) • Rural livelihoods (5) • Coastal zones (5) • Biodiversity (3) • Aquatic ecosystems, fisheries (3) • Human health (2) • Extreme events (2) • Tourism (1)

  7. AIACC Accomplishments (1) • Contributing to goals of UNFCCC • Established strong ties to 2nd National Communications • Contributed to NAPA guidelines & workshops • Adding to UNFCCC V&A methods/tools database • Participated in UNFCCC expert meetings on adaptation • Contributed to UNDP’s Adaptation Policy Framework

  8. AIACC Accomplishments (2) • Advancing knowledge & methods • 15 papers published in peer-reviewed journals • 7 papers published in AIACC Working Papers • 20 more in review • Advanced methods for: • climate scenario generation • vulnerability indicators • livelihood approaches • integrated assessment modeling • benefit/cost analysis of adaptation • Contributed to UNFCCC’s database of V&A methods and tools

  9. AIACC Accomplishments (3) • Contributing to international science • IPCC 4th Assessment Report • Contributed to outline & plans for IPCC AR4 • 33(!) AIACC investigators chosen to be authors of IPCC AR4 • Millennium Ecosystem Assessment • 2 projects contributing to MEA reports • Global Environmental Change & Food Security (GECAFS) • Presentations in international science meetings

  10. AIACC Accomplishments (4) • Building capacity • Capacity for scientific/technical V&A assessment • >200 scientists and >60 students in 46 developing countries have benefited from “learning-by-doing” and training activities • Capacity to engage with stakeholders and formulate adaptation strategies and policies • Have established networks that link science & stakeholder institutions from 62 countries • Stakeholder knowledge & awareness • Numerous local workshops with stakeholders • South-south capacity transfers • AIACC participants have conducted several successful south-south capacity transfer activities

  11. Upcoming AIACC Activities • 3 Regional Workshops in 2004 • Completion of regional assessments by end 2004/early 2005 • More publications • Synthesis of AIACC regional studies in 2005 • Outreach to stakeholders, national communications

  12. Future • START, TWAS and UNEP want to build on successes of AIACC • Developing new project proposal for 2005-2009 • Seeking funds • Keep proven elements • Peer review, regional assessments, mentoring, training, technical assistance for capacity building • Some changes for greater effectiveness • Greater stakeholder engagement, stronger focus on informing decisions, more south-south technical assistance, more training opportunities

  13. Thank you www.aiaccproject.org

  14. Preliminary Lessons (1) • Stakeholder participation in assessment is critical for generating and communicating knowledge that gets used • Targeted to decision making needs • Integrate knowledge, experiences of practitioners • Credibility with affected groups, decision makers • Requires set of skills most researchers don’t have • Relationships important • Relationships being established between science and stakeholder institutions one of the more important legacies of AIACC project

  15. Preliminary lessons (2) • Experience of coping with and managing climate risks is rich source of information from which to learn about • System sensitivities, resilience and capacities • Determinants of vulnerability • Strategies to cope, adapt

  16. Preliminary Lessons (3) • Important to look at multiple scales • Sub-units within a region, community etc have varying degrees and types of vulnerability, capacities to respond • Cross-scale interactions important • Focusing on single scale may lead to • misdiagnosed capacities, vulnerabilities, thresholds • prescription of ineffective adaptations

  17. Preliminary Lessons (4) • Important to look at multiple futures • Socioeconomic as well as climate futures • Socioeconomic drivers probably more important drivers of vulnerability than climate • Multiple scenarios needed to investigate implications of different possible futures for vulnerability and adaptation

  18. Preliminary Lessons (5) • Best method for constructing climate change scenarios depends on assessment objectives • Regional climate modeling not always needed nor best • Fidelity to GCM derived climate scenarios not critically important for investigation of vulnerabilities • Guided sensitivity analyses important first step

  19. Preliminary Lessons (6) • Livelihoods is useful concept for vulnerability assessment • Changes in climate & other stresses restrict or expand livelihood opportunities • People adapt their livelihood strategies in response to changing opportunities • Consequences for their well-being will depend on how effective these adaptations are • Livelihoods integrate consequences of multiple stresses on human well-being • Vulnerabilities vary for different livelihood groups

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