Introduction

Adaptation to the adverse effects of climate change has been recognised as an important element of the climate regime since its inception. Implementation of the Convention's adaptation provisions has been impeded, however, by three interlocking factors: lack of agreement about the meaning, scope and timing of adaptation; limited capacity in developing countries to undertake vulnerability assessments and planning; and bottlenecks in the availability of funding. Rule development has also been constrained by procedural and political factors, notably the fragmentation of policy caused by the lack of a single COP agenda item to address adaptation issues and political complications in disentangling adaptation from the conceptually distinct potential problems facing energy exporting countries arising from implementation of response measures.

This chapter brings together the disparate Convention and Protocol provisions on adaptation and related rule development as follows. Section 2 explains the meaning, scope and timing of adaptation in the climate regime, setting out some of the underlying policy issues at stake. Sections 3, 4 and 5 describe the Convention and Protocol adaptation provisions, and subsequent rule development concerning these, as follows:

• Adaptation preparation and planning commitments;

• Adaptation financing; and

• Special adaptation-related provisions for LDCs.

Meaning, scope and timing of adaptation

Definitions

The Convention and the Protocol do not contain definitions of ‘adaptation’ nor related terms such as ‘adaptive capacity’ and ‘vulnerability’. Various definitions have been used and have been refined over time to reflect improved understanding. The IPCC's definitions, explained in box 8.1, are the most commonly deployed definitions.