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“Adaptation to the consequences of Climate Change:

Progress achieved and capacity building needed”

Budapest, November 19-20, 2007

Strategic Environmental Assessment for

Mainstreaming Adaptation into National Development Frameworks

Henrieta Martonakova(henrieta.martonakova@undp.org)

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Overview

1. Strategy on Adaptation for Europe and CIS

2. Introduction to Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)

3. Applying SEA for mainstreaming adaptation into national development frameworks

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UNDP approach in Europe and CIS

Overall objective:To facilitate policy change and capacity development to achieve MDGs in

countries with economies in transition in the face of Climate Change

Strategic elements of UNDP approach; Capitalizing on NC processes Focus on most vulnerable countries/geographic areas and sectors Comparative advantage of UNDP: (i) current work of creating an enabling environment for human development; (ii) disaster risk management (iii) policy support for mainstreaming adaptation into the development planning

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UNDP approach in Europe and CIS

Priority geographic and thematic areas:

Water resource management, disaster risk management and agricultural productivity in the three most vulnerable sub-regions: low and low-middle countries of Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia

Coastal zone management in the low lying areas of Adriatic, Black and Caspian seas

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UNDP approach in Europe and CIS

Major elements of adaptation strategy in the region:

Development of projects

Mainstreaming

Partnership building

Learning (Adaptation Learning Mechanisms)

Human Resource Development

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Contact person

Keti ChachibaiaGEF Regional Technical Advisor for Capacity Development

and Adaptation

Email: keti.chachibaia@undp.org

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SEA for mainstreaming Adaptation National

Development Frameworks

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SEA = Range of analytical and participatory approaches to integrate environmental considerations into policy,

plans and programmes and evaluate the inter linkages with economic and social considerations (OECD, 2006)

not a single, fixed and prescriptive approach largely principle-based continuous, iterative and adaptive applied throughout the entire decision-making process focused on strengthening institution and governance adapted and tailor made

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SEA is not

An approach for mainly developing environmental strategies, programmes and action plans, but rather for developing area based and sectoral plans, which take account of the objectives formulated in environmental strategies, programmes, etc.

A responsibility of the environmental ministries and authorities but rather of sectoral ministries and authorities responsible for area strategic development (regional government, municipality, etc.)

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SEA: Up-streaming environmental considerations into the decision-making hierarchy

Strategic EnvironmentalAssessment

Environmental Impact Assessment

Policy

Plan

Programme

Projects

Source: OECD. 2006. Applying Strategic Environmental Assessment: Good practice Guidance for Development Co-operation.

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Leveraging SEA for adapting to climate change

• Climate change considerations must become a part of policymaking and planning across the board, including UNDP

• Existing assessments often overlook:1. Future climate change risks2. PPP effects on climate change vulnerability3. PPP opportunities to reduce stakeholder vulnerability

• An integrative assessment approach (such as SEA) can incorporate climate change considerations and support adaptation (reduce vulnerability)

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What UNDP is doing to support adaptation

Integrating climate change into all operations (“climate-proofing”)

1.Building capacity • Regional training• Web-based training, web resources, etc.

2.Developing resources for “climate-proofing”• Guidance for UN and UNDP development frameworks• SEA-based guidance for national & sectoral policymaking• Identifying key risks: country-specific and thematic• Knowledge sharing (Adaptation Learning Mechanism (ALM))

3.Delivering impact• Policy advice and core programmes • Projects supported through GEF• MDG-fund projects

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UNDP SEA approach to Adaptation

Draws upon guidance in the Adaptation Policy Frameworks for Climate Change (APF) and in the OECD DAC Guidance on SEA

Objective: support national development priorities through improved policies, plans and/or programmes.

support climate change adaptation mainstreaming leverage SEA frameworks in place

Outcomes: Improved consideration of climate change-related/environmental

risks in policies, plans and programmes Improved consideration of the specific effects of policies on the

climate vulnerability of relevant populations/stakeholders Awareness of climate change and its impacts raised among

policymakers and the public (critical for effective mainstreaming).

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Outline of the approach Stage 1: Establish the context

define the objectives and outcomes, the scale and scope of the assessment and the stakeholders to involve

Stage 2: Implement the approachidentify ways of reducing impacts and optimizing opportunities of climate change on the policy, plan, programme for environmental sustainability and other development outcomes

Stage 3: Inform and influence decision-makingto ensure that the policy, plan and programme integrates main conclusion and inputs highlighted by the approach

Stage 4: Monitor and evaluateto ensure effectiveness of policy, plan and programme measures for environment and development

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SEA approach for adaptation mainstreaming- examples of adaptation-related questions for each SEA stage

Stage 1: Establish the context for the approach What development objective(s) or outcome(s) are sought?Are the objectives in line with national environmentalobjectives and sustainable development policies?What kind of information is available on environmentalchallenges, climate change vulnerability and projectedimpacts, and what does the information suggest?On which time horizon are climate change risks expected?Who are the stakeholders and how should they be engagedin the SEA approach to Adaptation?Is there a need for institutional strengthening and capacity buildingon the SEA approach to Adaptation?

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SEA approach for adaptation mainstreaming- examples of adaptation-related questions for each SEA stage

Stage 2: Implement the approachWhat are the relevant criteria and indicators for the assessment?What methods should be used to assess future vulnerability andadaptation needs, characterize future climate-related risks, etc.?What impacts will climate change likely have on the effectivenessof the policy, plan and programme, and the target population?What impacts will the policy, plan or programme have onenvironmental sustainability and development outcomes?What responses (options) would reduce climate risks impactsand improve development outcomes?What are the barriers, costs, and impacts of those options?Are the views of stakeholders being included in the process?

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SEA approach for adaptation mainstreaming- examples of adaptation-related questions for each SEA stage

Stage 3: Inform and influence decision-makingWhat are the main conclusions on adaptive measures?Are there adequate mechanisms for these to be reflected in thepolicy and decision-making process?Are financial resources sufficient to implement the activitiesidentified as needed to ensure sustainability and other development outcomes?

Stage 4: Monitor and evaluateWhat is the strategy for reviewing, monitoring and evaluating impacts?What indicators will be used for monitoring? How will they betracked?

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Resources

Adaptation Policy Frameworks for Climate Change (guidance)http://www.undp.org/gef/adaptation/climate_change/APF.htm (english)http://www.undp.org/gef/05/kmanagement/pub_practitioner.html (english)http://ncsp.va-network.org/section/resources/resource_methodology (english, spanish, french

UNDP SEA-related informationhttp://www.undp.org/fssd/priorityareas/sea.html and http://europeandcis.undp.org/environment/iep