Last week, India's Chief Economic Adviser termed adaptation as the "best insurance against climate change." However, adaptation efforts have been inadequate for decades, leaving developing countries at risk. @mrinali_7
explains adaptation. A thread

#COP28UAE saw heated debates around adaptation, with developing countries scoring a small win. But what is adaptation? The @UNFCCC
defines it as “adjustment in ecological, social, or economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects or impacts”.

While “mitigation” deals with reducing emissions, adaptation refers to making adjustments so people can deal with the adverse effects of climate change.

From early warning systems for cyclones to community-level initiatives like drought-resistant farming, adaptation encompasses a range of actions.

"We should spend more time improving the adaptation projects that are already in place. Many of these are not effective, or in the worst case, are maladaptation i.e. they are making people more vulnerable to climate change, rather than less vulnerable.” says Prof @schipper_lisa

Prior to 2000, adaptation was not given separate focus in international climate negotiations. In 2001, however, the @IPCC_CH
published evidence that climate change was already leading to irreversible changes around us, forcing countries to look into the issue.

The Marrakech Records, signed in the same year, was a breakthrough for adaptation, introducing several initiatives like the Adaptation Fund. In 2007, adaptation was recognised as an independent pillar of climate action, and in 2010 at Cancun, it was accorded equal priority as mitigation.

In 2015, however, rich nations tried to diminish its importance in Paris. Developing countries stood united and the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) was established. At COP27 rich nations stalled progress saying they wanted to wait another year to adopt a framework under GGA

It was no easier at #COP28 as negotiations saw fundamental disagreements between countries on issues of finance and principles that would guide the framework. While developing nations said the principle of equity must be reflected in the framework, rich countries refused.

Developing countries however scored a win at the negotiations by getting countries to acknowledge that the means to implement adaptation measures must be provided by richer countries.

"A common argument you hear from developed nations is that adaptation is a local issue..the cause of “this local issue“ is global actions-inaction rather-by developed nations to undertake ambitious emissions reductions and constantly reneging on their promises.” says @bforboseman

The final text—the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience—lays down adaptation targets that countries must meet. This included the establishment of early warning systems in all countries, planning and implementation of countries’ domestic adaptation plans by 2030, etc.

Though the highlight of COP28 was the acknowledgement of the need for a “fair and equitable” transition away from fossil fuels, Zambia said at the closing plenary that GGA was in fact the “most important” for Africa.

For more, read @mrinali_7’s piece for @frontline_india
https://frontline.thehindu.com/environment/climate-crisis-can-we-adapt-before-climate-change-drowns-us-cop28-dubai-adaptation-finance-cop29-baku/article67866364.ece?cx_testId=22&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=4#cxrecs_s…