26 March 2018: The UNFCCC Secretariat has issued a synthesis report on outcomes of work under the Nairobi work programme (NWP) on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change since May 2016. These outcomes contribute to implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and many of its SDGs.

The report summarizes the work of the NWP in the period from May 2016 until April 2018 in preparation for the UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Bonn, Germany, from 30 April to 10 May. Among other things, it details specific activities aimed at developing and strengthening linkages of the NWP with the SDGs, including in relation to:

  • SDG 1 (no poverty) and target 1.5 (build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations, and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters) through NWP activities in the thematic areas of human settlements, health, ecosystems and water resources, economic diversification, and indicators of climate adaptation and resilience as well as the work undertaken under the Lima Adaptation Knowledge Initiative (LAKI);
  • SDG 2 (zero hunger) and target 2.4 (ensure sustainable food production systems, and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems and that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change) through, inter alia, LAKI identifying knowledge gaps around agriculture and fisheries that hinder the implementation, and scaling up of climate adaptation actions;
  • SDG 3 (good health and well-being) and target 3.D (strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks) through the synthesis report on human health and adaptation;
  • SDG 5 (gender equality) and target 5.5 (ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision making in political, economic and public life) through a compilation of over 100 knowledge resources on gender-sensitive approaches and tools for climate change adaptation;
  • SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and target 6.A (expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water and sanitation-related activities and programmes) through a dedicated thematic page on water resources in the Adaptation Knowledge Portal and the LAKI priority-setting workshops identifying water-related knowledge gaps spanning 38 countries and six subregions;
  • SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure) and target 9.A (facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, the least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS)) through, inter alia, the summary of existing initiatives in the area of human settlements and adaptation, prepared under the NWP;
  • SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and targets 11.3 (by 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries) and 11.B (substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change) through the summary of existing initiatives in the area of human settlements and adaptation, among others;
  • SDG 13 (climate action) through knowledge sharing for climate action; and
  • SDGs 14 (life below water) and 15 (life on land) and targets 14.2, 15.1 and 15.4 (ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of ecosystems and their services) through the synthesis report on ecosystems and water resources and a side event on the role of healthy ecosystems in helping life better adapt to climate change.

Intended to inform the review of the NWP at the 48th session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), the report describes the progress of the NWP as a “knowledge-for-adaptation action” hub, with over 350 partner organizations, including the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and its SDG Knowledge Hub. [Outcomes of Work under NWP since May 2016]

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The SDG Knowledge Hub publishes regular adaptation and loss and damage updates that can be found under the tag Adaptation and Loss and Damage Update.