POLICY PAPER ON PERSPECTIVES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM ON ADAPTATION METRICS (IPAM), EDITED BY THE IMAL INITIATIVE FOR CLIMATE AND DEVELOPMENT
At COP27 at Sharm el-Sheikh in 2022, countries agreed to develop a framework to help achieve and review progress toward the global goal on adaptation (informally abbreviated “GGA”). The GGA was originally agreed in non-specific terms as a pillar of the Paris Agreement at COP21 in 2015. The decision to develop a framework to assess the GGA followed extensive technical meetings across 2022 under the Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh work programme on the GGA, launched at COP26 in 2021. The new framework, according to the COP27 decision, is meant to be adopted at COP28 in Dubai.
The COP27 text goes into new levels of detail for a COP decision, suggesting that the framework for the GGA might consider, inter alia different dimensions (different stages or parts of the adaptation policy process), themes (different sectors or topic areas for adaptation), cross-cutting considerations (naming different approaches, principles, and values), and sources of information (including reports from international organizations and official documents from Parties).
In terms of themes, the COP27 text specifically suggests explicit consideration of the following topics in the development of the GGA framework: water; food and agriculture; cities, settlements and key infrastructure; health; poverty and livelihoods; terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems; and oceans and coastal ecosystems; tangible cultural heritage; mountain regions; and biodiversity.
Over the course of 2023, there have been extensive technical meetings that served as a continuation of the Glasgow-Sharm el Sheikh work programme. Here, there has been convergence in some areas, including convergence on the notion of defining targets around the adaptation policy cycle, but more divergence around the notion of defining targets for specific themes.
The International Platform on Adaptation Metrics (IPAM) was established in 2020, bringing together international experts in adaptation metrics alongside relevant organizations, following conferences on the topic organized by Morocco’s COP22 Presidency. IPAM includes sectoral committees for Cities, Agriculture, and Water — corresponding to three of the themes for the GGA framework indicated in the COP27 decision.
As part of a wider effort to engage IPAM’s expertise in the development of the GGA framework, this particular policy paper attempts to bring IPAM’s sectoral expertise from its three Committees (Cities, Agriculture, and Water) to bear in the elaboration of the GGA’s thematic targets and indicators.
It is generally understood that while COP28 may see the adoption of a general framework of the GGA, some follow up work will be required following its adoption. This might include, inter alia, appointment of an expert group or taskforce to develop specific indicators and methodologies for their operationalization. On this basis, this policy paper is intended to provide further basis for such a forward trajectory of work.
The full policy paper is available for download below: