Information paper on link ages between adaptation and mitigation

1.1 Mandate climate-resilient pathways for sustainable development. This issue has also received considerable attention in scientific literature, including recent IPCC reports, which described linkages between adaptation and mitigation in the context of sustainable development. As part of its 2019-2021 flexible workplan, in particular its workstream on “Providing technical support and guidance to Parties on adaptation action” and the objective of “Enhancing the provision of technical support to developing country Parties for adaptation action in a coherent manner”, the Adaptation Committee (AC) agreed to prepare an information paper on linkages between adaptation and mitigation.

1.2 Overall framing Climate change is a threat to equitable and sustainable development. Adaptation, mitigation and sustainable development are inextricably connected, with potential for synergies and trade-offs. The Paris Agreement emphasizes the intrinsic relationship that climate change actions, responses and impacts have with equitable access to sustainable development and eradication of poverty. Mitigation action to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above preindustrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels will limit climate change risks and impacts. Adaptation action to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience, and reduce vulnerability to climate change will also contribute to This paper elaborates on the adaptation and mitigation linkages, and on their interrelationship with sustainable development.

1.3 Purpose and Structure The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of how linkages1 have been addressed within different sectors and under the UNFCCC, including associated synergies and trade-offs.

Following an introduction, this paper includes the following sections:
Section two provides an overview of linkages between adaptation and mitigation as well as sustainable development in scientific literature, drawing mainly on four reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):
a. The IPCC’s fourth assessment report, in particular the chapter on interrelationships between adaptation and mitigation;
b. The IPCC’s fifth assessment report, in particular the chapter on climate-resilient pathways: adaptation, mitigation, and sustainable development;
c. The IPCC’s special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty;
d. The IPCC’s special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems, in particular the chapter on interlinkages between desertification, land degradation, food security and GHG f luxes: synergies, trade-offs and integrated response options.

In addition to the IPCC reports, scientific literature was consulted, where appropriate, including to extract examples for improved understanding of the linkages. Section three elaborates on linkages under the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement, including relevant decisions. This section also considers linkages with other international agendas, namely the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the work of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Section four captures information on linkages contained in reports submitted by Parties to the UNFCCC, namely documents related to National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and National Communications, and on linkages contained in projects funded by the GCF and GEF. Section five addresses needs, challenges, and opportunities associated with the integration of adaptation and mitigation actions and sustainable development. Finally, section six, informed by previous chapters, presents a summary of key findings.

source :

https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/linkages_mitigation_adaptation_infpaper.pdf