Agenda – Technical Expert Meeting on Adaptation 2017

Opening and welcome

• Official opening:
  • Mr. Clifford Mahlung, Co-Chair of the Adaptation Committee
  • H.E. Mr. Inia Seruiratu, High-Level Climate Champion, Fiji
  • H.E. Ms. Hakima El Haite, High-Level Climate Champion, Morocco
  • Mr. Carlos Fuller, Chair of the SBSTA
  • Mr. Tomasz Chruszczow, Chair of the SBI
  • Video message from Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary General

Audio recording:

Session 1: Setting the scene

• Overview of the 2-day meeting, including structure and objectives, Ms. Musonda Mumba
• Following an introduction by the moderator, four panellists will highlight the purpose and importance of the three initiatives
  • SDGs: Mr. Hilary Ogbonna, UN SDG Action Campaign
  • DRR: Mr. David Stevens, UNISDR
  • Adaptation: Mr. Youssef Nassef, UNFCCC
  • Science and data underlying the three processes: Mr. Tom de Groeve, European Commission
•  The audience will be engaged through posing and voting on questions via slido.
•  Conclusion by the panellists and the moderator and outlook to three breakout groups.

Guiding questions:

• How do the UNFCCC, the Sendai Framework for DRR and SDGs respond to the challenges of building resilience and adapting to climate change, reducing disaster risk and developing sustainably: what are the commonalities and where do the three complement each other?
• How are countries coordinating the implementation of the three global agreements nationally?
• How are global organisations working together to ensure coherence in their own efforts to support countries in achieving targets in all three areas?

Expected outcome:

• Participants will have gained a better understanding of collaboration and synergy in implementation between the three frameworks.

• Participants will address how adaptation planning and implementation are connected to planning for disaster risk reduction and sustainable development to ensure resilient ecosystems, people and societies, livelihoods and economies.

Guiding questions:

• What are the specific areas where the SDGs and DRR targets add the most value to adaptation?
• What are the entry points for greater collaboration between adaptation planning and implementation and these SDGs and DRR targets?
• What are the countries and communities doing to undertake adaptation planning and implementation in a coherent and collaborative manner? How are they being supported? What is the role of the private sector?

Expected outcome:

• Participants have explored opportunities and enablers (joint tools and metrics, guidance, institutional arrangements, support etc.) that lead to integrated planning and implementation

Resilient ecosystems

Facilitation + framing presentation:

• Ms. Patience Damptey, Ghana

Resilient societies

Facilitation + framing presentation:

• Mr. Maarten van Aalst, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre

Resilient economies

Facilitation + framing presentation:

• Ms. Asun St Clair, DNV GL

• Reporting back from breakout groups and discussions, Ms. Mumba and facilitators of breakout groups

• Three specific integrated approaches will be introduced by panellists, and participants will explore different planning instruments, possible common tools and metrics, joint decision-making and enabling institutional arrangements to enhance alignment of the three processes at a cross-sectoral level.
• Participants will be asked to identify barriers and opportunities via slido.

Approach 1: Agriculture and the water-energy-food nexus

• FAO, Mr. Martin Frick

Approach 2: Coastal zones and marine areas

• Video message: Mr. Ronald Jackson, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
• Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, Ministry of Planning and Development

Approach 3: Resilient cities

• ICLEI, Ms. Laura Kavanaugh

• At the end of the session, panellists will be invited to share their lessons learned

Guiding questions:

• Which integrated approaches are being applied and how do they foster collaboration?
• Do these approaches help to identify opportunities and challenges/trade-offs?

Expected outcome:

• Building on the earlier identified opportunities and enablers, participants have explored promising approaches and tools in more depth.

• Wrap-up and concluding remarks by Ms. Mumba

• Recap of day 1 and outlook to day 2 by Ms. Mumba

• This session will explore the use of the process to formulate and implement national adaptation plans (NAPs) in integrating the SDGs and the Sendai Framework targets, in particular the Sendai Framework Target E on increasing the number of national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020.
• Framing presentation on how to address the SDGs through the NAPs – an integrative framework by Ms. Beth Lavender from the LEG
• Panel discussion:
  • Japan: Mr. Akio Takemoto, Director, Climate Change Adaptation Office, Global Environment Bureau, Ministry of the Environment
  • Tonga: Mr. Sione Fulivai, Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications
  • Liberia: Mr. Benjamin S. Karmorh, Jr., Environment Protection Agency
• The audience will be engaged through posing and voting on questions via slido and sharing needs and issues to be addressed in the break-out groups
• Conclusion by the panellists and the moderator and outlook to two follow-up discussions.

Guiding questions:

•  How can the NAPs enable countries to set priorities and plan adaptation to build resilience, reduce disaster risk and advance sustainable development?
• What are the opportunities and challenges?
• What kind of support is needed and what is already being provided?

• During two focused discussions, participants will focus on challenges and opportunities offered by the NAPs for linking with the SDGs and Sendai Framework targets along sector integration and development planning at different levels.
• Participants will also consider support, monitoring and evaluation and reporting.

Expected outcome:

• The discussions will have allowed participants to appreciate the NAPs as being the tool for allowing practical integration of adaptation, DRR and SDGs along different sectors and levels.

How the NAPs can enable sector integration to reduce vulnerability and disaster risk, build resilience and advance sustainable development

How the NAPs can enable linkages between national and subnational development planning processes and strategies

• Taking into account the discussion over the two days, participants will consider what countries, communities, civil society and the private sector can do to advance adaptation efforts in the implementation of the Paris Agreement, Sendai Framework and the SDGs.
• Ms. Mumba will present the opportunities and drivers gathered so far via slido, and participants may be invited to validate these results.
• Participants will also discuss additional opportunities, recommendations and next steps.

Guiding questions:

• What are the opportunities for coordination and collaboration, and how can multi-stakeholder partnership enhance adaptation outcomes?
• What can the global community do to enhance coordination and collaboration?
• How can additional support be leveraged?
• What guidance is needed to enable more cooperation and collaboration to implement efforts across the three areas, including for the development of plans and strategies, meeting knowledge needs and supporting integrated M&E of progress?

Expected outcome:

• Participants will have gained a better understanding of the opportunities offered and options available, in particular through the NAPs, to enhance their integration efforts.

• Closing remarks to link to upcoming SDG high-level events and the 2017 Global platform for DRR, Ms. Patricia Espinosa
• Wrap-up and concluding remarks, Ms. Mumba