CAPE TOWN, June (ANA) - Increased extreme events of climate change are projected in the future, which requires increased efforts to adaptation, reduction of vulnerability and increased resilience from the global community.
This is according to Young Hee Lee, legal operations analyst at the Adaptation Fund which finances projects that help vulnerable communities in developing countries adapt and build resilience to the effects of climate change globally.
“The needs for adaptation, reduction of vulnerability and increased resilience to climate change will be commensurate with the level of emissions and mitigation efforts from the global community,” said Lee.
“I think concrete and local community-based adaptation projects will help people vulnerable to climate change build their adaptation resilience. It also helps promote their empowerment and capacity building in the long-term. The Adaptation Fund, through the projects it finances, contributes to the reduction of vulnerabilities,” said Lee during an interview at Adaptation Futures 2018, the world’s leading conference on climate change adaptation which was held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) this week.
She said people in vulnerable communities are aware that they have to coexist with climate risk and be better prepared in terms of capacities and in terms of infrastructure to face the adverse effects of climate change.
Lee, however, said that it was also difficult to predict that the vulnerability numbers would decrease in 2030 as the significant global increase of vulnerability numbers was still an issue.
“It is clear that the projects like the ones funded by the Adaptation Fund will help those targeted reduce their vulnerability, hence decreasing the numbers globally, but the question is 'will the global number of vulnerable people increase significantly by 2030?' That is the main issue we all need to address at this point, at all levels,” she said.
The Adaptation Fund was established under the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change and has committed $ 477 million (R6.4 billion) in 76 countries since 2010 to climate adaptation and resilience activities.
She said that the fund is financed in part by government and private donors, and also from a two percent share of proceeds of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) issued under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism projects.
“Since 2010, the Adaptation Fund has allocated over $477 million for adaptation projects in 76 countries, including 28 least developed countries and 19 small Island developing states, giving developing countries full ownership of adaptation projects, from planning through implementation, while ensuring monitoring and transparency at every step,” said Lee.
She stated that in South Africa, the Adaptation Fund has a pioneering role in funding the Small Grant Facility project implemented by South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), one of national implementing entities of the Adaptation Fund, further adding that the fund had financed two adaptation projects implemented by SANBI in South Africa, to the value of $2.5 million, over R27 million, in four years and $7.5 million (more than R94 million) in five years.
Commenting on the distribution of the funds and procedure being followed nominating projects or communities to be granted, she said the proposals are submitted by accredited entities for consideration of the Adaptation Fund Board.
“The proposal must benefit the most vulnerable communities to the adverse effects of climate change. The Adaptation Fund Board secretariat conducts a technical review of the proposals received, that should comply with the Adaptation Fund’s project review criteria.
“The implementing entities have to submit project performance reports on a yearly basis to the AFB Secretariat, which is responsible for the overall fund level monitoring. Also, the Secretariat conducts project monitoring mission by visiting the project site and meeting the stakeholders on site. Also, the Adaptation Fund is in the process of establishing its evaluation function, and therefore, post-implementation of the project will be evaluated as well,” she explained.
She said the Cape Town conference was a great opportunity for people with different backgrounds and experiences from the government, international organisations, civil society, academics to freely discuss on various topics related to adaptation, including burning and contentious issues, addressing issues and problems, and identifying solutions.
- African News Agency (ANA)
