Perspective on Water and Climate Change in UNFCCC Negotiations Chris Moseki Water Research Commission of SA Africa Pavilion – COP17 3 December 2011

Overview 1. Where is water located under the UNFCCC? 2. Commitment of Parties to the Convention 3. What does the NWP seek to achieve (aim)? 4. Areas of work that constitute the Programme 5. Activities & progress to date - regarding the implementation of the Programme 6. Water as an important theme within the NWP 7. Challenges/opportunities of water as a potential stand-alone item on the SBSTA/COP agenda Water & Climate COP17 Dec 20112

Where is water currently discussed or located under the UNFCCC? Papers & Programmes: The Nairobi Work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change The 2008 Climate Change and Water IPCC Technical Paper VI The NAPAs under the LDC Work Programme The NWP Synthesis on Climate Change and Freshwater Resources (developed in collaboration with GWP) United Nations FCCC/TP/2011/5 Technical Paper on Water & Climate Change impact and adaptation strategies (dated 22/11/2011) Discussions: Nowhere... or weakly within various sectors Water & Climate COP17 Dec 20113

Article 4 paragraph 1(e) of the Convention...commits Parties to “develop and elaborate appropriate and integrated plans coastal zone management, water resources and agriculture, and for the protection and rehabilitation of areas, particularly in Africa, affected by drought and desertification, as well a floods.” Water & Climate COP17 Dec 20114

Implementation of the NWP  Scope of work under the NWP is categorized into 2 thematic areas:- Impacts and vulnerability: entails Methodologies & tools for vulnerability assessments, etc Exchange & access to observation data and monitoring Promote understanding of info on socio-econ aspects Adaptation planning and action: Promote dissemination of methods & tools Info on practical adaptation action + indigenous knowledge Tools for econ diversification, resilience & reducing reliance on vulnerable economic sectors, etc Water & Climate COP17 Dec 20115

What does the NWP seek to achieve?  The NWP aims to assist all Parties, in particular DCs, including the LDCs and Small Island Developing States, to improve their understanding and assessment of impacts, vulnerability and adaptation; and  To assist all Parties to make informed decisions on practical adaptation actions and measures to respond to climate change on a sound scientific, technical and socio-economic basis, taking into account current and future climate change and variability. Water & Climate COP17 Dec 20116

Structured according to 9 areas of work  Methods & tools,  Data & observation,  Climate modelling, scenarios & downscaling  Climate related risks and extremes  Socio-economic information  Adaptation planning and practices  Research  Technology for adaptation  Economic diversification Water & Climate COP17 Dec 20117

What has been done/achieved?  A number of expert workshops were organised  Various organisations and relevant institutions were invited to contribute info to the NWP Submit info/experiences to the UNFCCC secretariat Fund research that support the objectives of NWP  To date, 19 organisations & 56 pledges  That is knowledge base has been provided on continuous basis, intended for support to all Parties in general, but DC, LDCs & SIDSs in particular Water & Climate COP17 Dec 20118

Progress or examples of what implementation under the NWP entails Progress regarding implementation activities of the NWP (has been reported since 2008) Action pledges by various organisations - e.g. UNDP: developing country-level climate profiles FAO – assisting Nigeria to assess adaptation requirements in the agricultural sector Met Office of UK developed climate scenarios in support of the Nairobi Work Programme, etc Water & Climate COP17 Dec 20119

Water & NWP  It is quite clear that the NWP is currently the only Programme within the UNFCCC that is markedly water related  However, it is neither only about water nor directly addressing policy related issues on water  The programme broadly supports adaptation action Water & Climate COP17 Dec

Cancun Adaptation Framework at COP16 COP16 by its Decision 1/CP.16 paragraph 14(a) Makes specific reference to water resources, freshwater, marine ecosystems and coastal zones in the context of “planning, prioritizing, and implementing adaptation actions, including projects and programmes...” Water & Climate COP17 Dec

However,  The NWP is limited to measures & tools  Adaptation–mitigation linkages, and other water resource management issues (e.g. regulatory, use, etc) are missing  Water is key to successful mitigation action  Aim: to make water integral part of climate agenda  GWP advocates for inclusion of water on COP agenda  Hence, based on Art 4(1)e of the Convention  Cancun agreement on “planning, prioritizing and implementing adaptation actions, including projects and programmes, inter alia, in the areas of water resources”  This led to a call for water programme under UNFCCC to be established through SBSTA in Bonn (June 2011) Water & Climate COP17 Dec

Water & NWP In Bonn,  Some role players brought in other issues onto the table thus disabling the chance for water to be considered for discussion  Others used the relationship between NWP and Water to suggest that Water could be addressed under or within the Nairobi Work Programme  Perhaps the challenge is whether there was a formal agreement on water as an agenda item Water & Climate COP17 Dec

The latest on NWP  The revision of the NWP, aims to strengthen it by improving action oriented approach with links to national and sub-national programmes  The question is whether given the design and objective of the Nairobi Work Programme, it can (or not) accommodate water issues raised Water & Climate COP17 Dec

If WATER were to be an agenda item,  Some of the intended functions would be  Policy principle: Guide technical & policy expertise on water (as it relates to both mitigation and adaptation)  Finance: Guide access to Green Climate Fund and other financial mechanisms under the Convention on the allocation of financial resources for water management,  Coherence: Interface between water-related policy, practice and science, and other issues, processes and mechanisms under the UNFCCC Water & Climate COP17 Dec

THANK YOU Water & Climate COP17 Dec