The state of adaptation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: 2013 thematic report

This report seeks to raise awareness and understanding of the variety of adaptation-related bodies, programmes and workstreams under the Convention and how they contribute jointly to enhanced action on adaptation. It is structured as follows: section II provides some background on the adaptation challenge; section III elaborates on the evolution of adaptation under the Convention; while section IV provides some insights on support available for adaptation under the Convention, including finance, technology and capacity-building; and engaging stakeholders is discussed in section V. It concludes with a description of how the implementation of adaptation-related provisions under the Convention is facilitated by the secretariat (section VI).

The report describes adaptation as a need to combat the adverse impacts of climate change that are happening now, to increase resilience to future impacts and to enable climate-resilient socio-economic development. It depicts the components of the adaptation process and ways through which the Convention is supporting countries, regions and communities to adapt to present and future impacts by undertaking a comprehensive and iterative process, consisting of: (i) assessing impacts, vulnerability and risks; (ii) planning for adaptation; (iii) implementing adaptation measures; and (iv) monitoring and evaluating (M&E) adaptation.