Outlook on Climate Change Adaptation in the Western Balkan Mountains

Policy responses at the Global, Regional and Sub-regional level

Global level Over the past 20 years, governments have been intensifying their consideration of the threats posed by climate change by progressively implementing strategic policy action to tackle such changes, and in parallel, advancing scientific knowledge on the climate system for more informed decision-making. The global policy response so far has mostly centred on mitigating climate change by reducing anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This strategy has been pursued by setting binding reduction targets of international instruments, such as the Kyoto Protocol, to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Most industrialized nations listed in Annex I of the Convention, including the European Union (EU), have committed to reductions until the end of 2020.

The complementary response to mitigation is adaptation, which entails facing the consequences of unavoidable changes by adjusting to new climatic conditions and climate variability, regardless of future emissions. At the global level, the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol refer specifically to adaptation in several of their Articles and require the Parties’ cooperation in this area. Industrialized countries have committed to supporting the most vulnerable developing countries with limited capacities to cope with the impacts of climate change (UN, 1992). Within the UNFCCC process, adaptation covers five key elements needed to enable knowledge sharing and learning, namely: • Observation of climatic and non-climatic variables • Assessment of climate impacts and vulnerability • Planning • Implementation and

• Monitoring and evaluation of adaptation actions (UNFCCC, 2015). In order to allow the functioning of such adaptation components, Parties should ensure technical and institutional capacities, as well as technological and financial support. A number of institutions, mechanisms and workstreams have been established under the UNFCCC to allow Parties to undertake activities associatedwithknowledgeonclimate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation, mostly coordinated under the Cancun Adaptation Framework. The actual implementation of adaptation projects, programmes, policies and other activities is funded through the financial mechanisms of the Convention, via the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund and three special funds under the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol: the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF); the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF); and the Adaptation Fund (AF). The Green Climate Fund (GCF) represents the largest scheme under the UNFCCC, through which developing country Parties receive support both for adaptation and mitigation actions. Funding for adaptation also flows through bilateral and multilateral channels. Outside the Convention, several UN agencies such as UNEP, UNDP, the United Nations Office for

Status of Western Balkan countries within the UNFCCC

Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Croatia FYR Macedonia Montenegro Serbia Kosovo 1

ratified the Convention in 1994 (Non-Annex I) ratified the Convention in 2000 (Non-Annex I) ratified the Convention in 1996, added to AI in 1998 (Annex I, EIT)

ratified the Convention in 1998 (Non-Annex I) ratified the Convention in 2006 (Non-Annex I) ratified the Convention in 2001 (Non-Annex I) not ratified the Convention

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