The AIACC ProjectAssessments of Impacts and Adaptations

to Climate Change

Neil Leary, AIACC Director

UNFCCC COP-10

Buenos Aires07 December 2004

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Background

• GEF enabling project– climate change focal area

• Geographic scope: Global• Implementing Agency: UNEP• Executing Agencies: START & TWAS• Collaboration between IPCC, UNEP,

START, TWAS and developing country institutions

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Sources of Funding

• Global Environment Facility

• Developing countrypartner co-financing

• USAID• CIDA• USEPA• Rockefeller Foundation

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AIACC Objectives

• Build scientific and technical capacity to support National Communications and developing country participation in int’l science

• Advance scientific understanding of climate change impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation opportunities

• Link science and policy communities for adaptation planning

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Means for achieving objectives

• Implement regional V&A assessments– “Learning-By-Doing” capacity building

• Supplement by technical support, mentoring, training, and networking

• Engage stakeholders• Work with National Communications• Synthesis• Workshops, publications, science &

stakeholder meetings

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Overview of Regional Assessments

• Africa: 11 projects– Health (1), Agriculture/food security (7), water resources (5), land

use (3), biodiversity (3), rural livelihoods (3), climate system (2)

• Asia: 5 projects– Agriculture/food security (4), water resources(4), land use (3),

aquatic/wetland ecosystems (2)

• Latin America: 5 projects– Agriculture/food security (3), water resources (3), land use (1),

livelihoods (2), coastal zones (3), fisheries (1), extreme events (2)

• Small Island Developing States: 3 projects– Health (1), coastal zones and their resources (2), water resources

(2), tourism (1)

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Some of the Methods of AIACC Projects

• Climate scenario generation• Climate risk spaces• Vulnerability indicators• Livelihood approaches• Integrated assessment modeling• Benefit/cost analysis of adaptation

The AIACC Data, Methods and Synthesis Website

http://www.aiaccproject.org

http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/aiacc

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Most Accessed Resources

• Synthesis page: Summarizes and synthesizes the AIACC projects' research methodologies and results

• Toolkit: Descriptions of software and computer models that are useful in impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability assessments

• Methods: Summarizes the AIACC projects' methods for impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability assessment

• Bibliography: Contains close to 1,000 citations to journal articles, reports, working papers, websites, data, and software applications addressing climate impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability