Even if we reach the aim not to exceed an increase in temperature of 2 degrees compared to preindustrial levels, we will have to face noticeable impacts on our climate and geosystem. If we identify these impacts early and take them seriously, adaptation strategies will be able to protect us from the most serious impacts. One of the key points in Poznan was the operationalisation and financing of an adaptation fund. The less developed the capacity of a state is to deal with conflicts and the smaller its ability for adaptation and regeneration, the harder the state will be hit by the impacts of climate change. The first adaptation projects in developing countries will start this year (2009).
That is to say: Especially and firstly developing countries and vulnerable groups in developing countries will have to deal with the most serious impacts of climate change. But how exactly will environmental changes damage these countries? Which possibilities are there to deal with these impacts?
Information about impacts on agriculture is provided by the Eco Fair Trade Dialogue and the study „Slow Trade – Sound Farming“ (PDF). More on the programme at ecofair-trade.org.
Other publications on impacts and adaptation:
- IPCC Working Group II examines “Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability”
- Agrecol, the Association for AgriCulture and Ecology in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe, organized the congress “ClimAdapt”, where adaptation strategies for agriculture were discussed with relevant stakeholders.
- In the “International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development”, actors have united to discuss sustainable strategies for agriculture.
- The non-governmental organisation Germanwatch deals with climate protection and adaptation to climate.
- The German Development Institute deals with climate policy, water policy and management and global environmental governance. Studies and information concerning adaptation strategies in different sectors and different countries can be downloaded.
- The Stockholm Environmental Institute (SEI) has published information, links and publications on climate adaptation and vulnerability.
Focus Vulnerable Regions
Especially developing countries will be hit severely by the effects of climate change. Without adaptation strategies many regions will have to face serious a serious decline of income and a major food crisis. Furthermore, scientists predict an increasing number of diseases. Industrial countries such as Germany or the United States have highly developed institutions dealing with impacts of climate change and possible adaptation strategies. Developing countries lack these capacities and institutions. Hence they are not only overextended in their own country, but also underrepresented in international negotiations.
Barbara Unmüßig, director of the HBF, and Stefan Cramer, former director of HBf’s regional office in Lagos, Nigeria, look into the subject of climate change in Africa and try to answer the question how climate policy can also be justice policy. GIGA-Article: Africa in climate change
For Africa climate change is a question of survival even though it hardly contributed to it. The appeal Africa speaks up on climate change is a call from African citizens on their own and the international community to pay more attention to the serious impacts of climate change.
The HBF has four offices in Africa. A website provides more information about the work of the HBF on the African continent and leads directly to the websites of the offices in Addis Abeba, Lagos, Nairobi and Cape Town.
The World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg (2002) was supposed to be not only an environmental summit, but also a summit for sustainable development. In cooperation with 16 celebrities, the HBF published a memorandum a few months before the summit. In its main features and ideas the memorandum is still up-to-date.