Page 64 - Module_9_en

Module To be effective in responding to climate change, it is important to consider and coordinate actions at
different levels of government, from national level priorities down to local responses. When identifying
adaptation responses, we tend to focus on local actions that address situations in areas where impacts are
occurring, but we also need to think about strategic decisions at the national level that could increased
capacities and set directions for local actions. Finally, sectoral adaptation focused on agriculture, forestry,

health and infrastructure are areas where medium and large-scale investments tend to occur, and it is
important that they are harmonized with national priorities, local needs and lessons learned (Table 7).
9-12 December, 2013 Table 7 Examples of priorities for effectively addressing adaptation responses

at the national and sectoral levels

National-level priorities Sectoral priorities
? Improving the coverage and quality control of ? Carrying out an assessment of the available sector-

climate monitoring data; specific information on climate change impacts and
? Commissioning national-level assessments vulnerabilities;
of climate change impacts, vulnerabilities ? Raising awareness among both sectoral planners
and adaptation options to gather more and their counterparts within donor agencies of the
targeted information on how climate change implications of climate change for their specific areas of
affects specific national priorities and core activity;
government functions; ? In cases where sectoral regulations and other decision-
? Moving the coordination for adaptation into making processes are based entirely on historical
powerful central bodies, such as the Office of climate information, there might be a need to introduce
the President or Prime Minister or planning greater flexibility - such as more frequent updating of
agencies; the climatic baseline (e.g., in the case of water resource
? Including considerations of climate change management);
risks within long-term visions, poverty ? Boosting in-house capacity within sectoral ministries
reduction and sustainable development and donor agencies to better evaluate the implications
strategies. of climate change for specific sectors;

? Making a sound economic case for investing in ? Collecting better information on the costs and benefits
adaptation; of adaptation actions so that decision-makers at various
? Ensuring adequate resource allocation levels can factor such information into their decision-
(for example through a horizontal fund making on how to implement adaptation-related
for adaptation) for the incorporation of actions;
adaptation considerations in policies, plans and ? Making ”room” in the budget for adaptation responses

programs. identified in the context of cross-sectoral plans,
or claiming resources from a horizontal fund for
adaptation.

Source: OECD, 2009

62 Volume Two - Themes
Vulnerability and Impact assessments for Adaption to Climate Change (VIA Module)