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PTAdaptation indicators are approved at COP30
Historically treated as a secondary theme at COPs, adaptation to climate change gained due prominence at COP30, held between November 10 and 22, in Belém (PA), Brazil. The concept involves actions to address the present and future impacts of climate change, with the aim of reducing vulnerabilities, achieving resilience and identifying opportunities.
Adaptation indicators
As the main announcement of the adaptation agenda, the parties approved 59 voluntary global indicators to measure countries’ progress on the topic, in alignment with the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). The final text establishes guidelines for the use of these indicators and details next steps for operationalization, but does not create legal obligations.
The defined indicators present both qualitative and quantitative criteria, and cover social, geographical, ecosystem, and thematic sectors (water, agriculture, health, infrastructure, poverty, and culture). The decision, although politically fragile, involves a process focused on technical improvements that should be worked on over the next two years.
“Adaptation had the deserved prominence in this edition, which put it on an equal footing with mitigation. I see the definition of 59 indicators and the progress in relation to the needs of the National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) as a positive sign so that promises can be transformed into concrete actions”, says Melina Amoni, Climate Risk and Adaptation Manager at WayCarbon, who was in Belém. “Despite this, the indicators remain voluntary and without a direct link to funding, highlighting the limits of global ambition,” explains the expert.
Although not directly linked to the indicators, the outcome document contains a commitment established by the parties to triple financing for adaptation to climate change by 2035, emphasizing that the feasibility of resources needs to come, mainly, from developed countries to developing nations, which are the ones that suffer the most from the impacts of climate change and, in general, they are responsible for the smallest share of global GHG emissions.
Loss and damage
Regarding loss and damage mechanisms, the review and strengthening of the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM), an instrument created at COP19 to deal with the effects of the climate crisis, offering support to vulnerable countries, were mentioned. The decision reinforced the need for new funds to support countries affected by extreme events.
Implementation and national adaptation plans
Another initiative that involves this agenda mentioned in the final document, called the Global Task Force, was the Global Implementation Accelerator, a voluntary initiative launched by the presidencies of COP30 and COP31, which will be held in Turkey, to support countries in the implementation of National Adaptation Plans.
Multilevel Governance
Finally, it is worth mentioning the initiative of the Brazilian government, which launched on the second day of the conference the Solutions Acceleration Plan (PAS) in Multilevel Governance. The initiative is a milestone in global climate cooperation by institutionalizing the integration between different levels of government and sectors of society as an essential condition for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, related to the GGA. The plan will serve as an instrument to put into practice the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP), launched at COP28.
According to the document, by 2028, 100 national climate plans and NDC implementation plans should officially include multi-level governance structures and mechanisms. The goal is to reach 120 plans by 2030. To this end, the PAS provides for the training of 6 thousand public servants and professionals in countries that have endorsed the initiative, through programs led by CHAMP and UN-Habitat.
“It is basically a deployment of the NDCs to subnational levels. It is an important step towards the adaptation agenda, because subnational leaders, such as governors and mayors, are on the front lines of implementing climate action. The fact that 77 countries and the European Union have already announced support for the initiative is also a positive sign,” says Lauro Marins, Head of Consulting and Digital Solutions at WayCarbon.
