III. Enhanced action on adaptation
Recalling the relevant provisions of the Convention,
Also recalling decision 1/CP.16, which established the Cancun Adaptation Framework and the Adaptation Committee,
92. Affirms that the Adaptation Committee shall be the overall advisory body to the Conference of the Parties on adaptation to the adverse effects of climate change;
93. Also affirms that the Adaptation Committee was established to promote the implementation of enhanced action on adaptation in a coherent manner under the Convention, as provided for by the Cancun Adaptation Framework, inter alia through the following functions:
(a) Providing technical support and guidance to the Parties, respecting the country-driven approach, with a view to facilitating the implementation of adaptation activities, including those listed in decision 1/CP.16, paragraphs 14 and 15, where appropriate;
(b) Strengthening, consolidating and enhancing the sharing of relevant information, knowledge, experience and good practices, at the local, national, regional and international levels, taking into account, as appropriate, traditional knowledge and practices;
(c) Promoting synergy and strengthening engagement with national, regional and international organizations, centres and networks, in order to enhance the implementation of adaptation actions, in particular in developing country Parties;
(d) Providing information and recommendations, drawing on adaptation good practices, for consideration by the Conference of the Parties when providing guidance on means to incentivize the implementation of adaptation actions, including finance, technology and capacity-building, and other ways to enable climate-resilient development and reduce vulnerability, including to the operating entities of the financial mechanism of the Convention, as appropriate;
(e) Considering information communicated by Parties on their monitoring and review of adaptation actions, support provided and received, possible needs and gaps and other relevant information, including information communicated under the Convention, with a view to recommending what further actions may be required, as appropriate;
94. Decides that the Adaptation Committee should make use of the following modalities in exercising its functions:
(a) Workshops and meetings;
(b) Expert groups;
(c) Compilation, review, synthesis, analysis reports of information, knowledge, experience and good practice;
(d) Channels for sharing information, knowledge and expertise;
(e) Coordination and linkages with all relevant bodies, programmes, institutions and networks, within and outside the Convention;
95. Also decides that the Adaptation Committee shall operate under the authority of, and be accountable to, the Conference of the Parties, which should decide on its policies in line with relevant decisions;
96. Requests the Adaptation Committee to report annually to the Conference of the Parties, through the subsidiary bodies, including on its activities, the performance of its functions, guidance, recommendations and other relevant information arising from its work, and, as appropriate, on further action that may be required under the Convention, for consideration by the Conference of the Parties;
97. Also requests the Adaptation Committee during its first year to develop a three-year plan for its work, which should include milestones, activities, deliverables and resource requirements, in accordance with its agreed functions, employing the modalities listed in paragraph 94 above, considering the indicative list of activities included in annex V, for approval by the Conference of the Parties at its eighteenth session;
98. Further requests the Adaptation Committee, in addition to developing its
99. Requests the Adaptation Committee to engage and develop linkages through the Conference of the Parties with all adaptation-related work programmes, bodies and institutions under the Convention, including the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention, the Technology Executive Committee, the Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change, the work programme on loss and damage and the operating entities of the financial mechanism of the Convention, as appropriate;
100. Also requests the Adaptation Committee to engage with, and draw on the expertise of, relevant institutions, organizations, frameworks, networks and centres outside of the Convention, including those at the intergovernmental, regional, national and, through them, subnational levels, where appropriate;
101. Decides that the Adaptation Committee shall comprise 16 members, who shall serve in their personal capacity, and will be nominated by Parties in their respective groups or constituencies and elected by the Conference of the Parties, with the aim of achieving a fair, equitable and balanced representation as follows: (a) Two members from each of the five United Nations regional groups; (b) One member from a small island developing State; (c) One member from a least developed country Party; (d) Two members from Annex I Parties; (e) Two members from non-Annex I Parties;
102. Urges regional groups in making their nominations to consider the special needs and concerns of particularly vulnerable developing countries;
103. Encourages Parties to nominate experts to the Adaptation Committee with a diversity of experience and knowledge relevant to adaptation to climate change, while also taking into account the need to achieve gender balance in accordance with decision 36/CP.7;
104. Agrees that the chairs of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, the Technology Executive Committee and the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention could be invited to attend meetings of the Adaptation Committee, as appropriate;
105. Also agrees that the Adaptation Committee should seek input from intergovernmental, international, regional, national and subnational organizations, centres and networks, the private sector and civil society, in undertaking its work, and to invite advisers drawn from them to participate in its meetings as expert advisers on specific issues as they arise;
106. Decides that members shall serve for a term of two years and shall be eligible to serve a maximum of two consecutive terms of office, and that the following rules shall apply:
- (a) Half of the members shall be elected initially for a term of three years and half of the members shall be elected for a term of two years;
- (b) Thereafter, the Conference of the Parties shall elect members for a term of two years;
- (c) The members shall remain in office until their successors have been elected;
107. Also decides that if a member of the Adaptation Committee resigns or is otherwise unable to complete the assigned term of office or to perform the functions of that office, the Adaptation Committee may decide, bearing in mind the proximity of the next session of the Conference of the Parties, to appoint another member from the same group or constituency to replace said member for the remainder of that member’s mandate, in which case the appointment shall count as one term;
108. Further decides that the Adaptation Committee shall elect annually a chair and a vice-chair from among its members to serve for a term of one year each, with one being a member from an Annex I Party and the other being a member from a non-Annex I Party, and that the positions of chair and vice-chair shall alternate annually between a member from an Annex I Party and a member from a non-Annex I Party;
109. Decides that if the chair is temporarily unable to fulfil the obligations of the office, the vice-chair shall serve as the chair. In the absence of the chair and the vice-chair at a particular meeting, any other member designated by the Adaptation Committee shall temporarily serve as the chair of that meeting;
110. Also decides that if the chair or the vice-chair is unable to complete the term of office, the Adaptation Committee shall elect a replacement to complete that term of office;
111. Further decides that decisions of the Adaptation Committee shall be taken by consensus;
112. Decides that the Adaptation Committee shall meet at least twice a year, where possible in conjunction with other adaptation-related UNFCCC meetings, while retaining its flexibility to adjust the number of meetings to suit its needs;
113. Encourages the Adaptation Committee to establish subcommittees, panels, thematic advisory groups or task-focused ad hoc working groups, if required, to provide, inter alia, expert advice in different sectors and areas, in order to assist the Adaptation Committee in performing its functions and achieving its objectives;
114. Decides that the meetings of the Adaptation Committee shall be open to attendance by admitted observer organizations, except where otherwise decided by the Adaptation Committee, with a view to encouraging a balanced representation of observers from Annex I Parties and from non-Annex I Parties;
115. Also decides that the Adaptation Committee shall convene its first meeting soon after the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties;
116. Further decides that English shall be the working language of the Adaptation Committee;
117. Decides that outputs of the Adaptation Committee shall be made publicly available on the UNFCCC website;
118. Also decides that the secretariat shall support and facilitate the work of the Adaptation Committee, subject to the availability of resources;
119. Further decides to review the progress and performance of the Adaptation Committee at its twenty-second session, with a view to adopting an appropriate decision on the outcome of this review;
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