31 October 2017: The UN Climate Change Conference, taking place in Bonn, Germany, from 6-17 November 2017, is expected to advance negotiations on a number of issues, in particular operationalization of the Paris Agreement on climate change. This Update provides an overview of issues relating to adaptation and loss and damage that are expected to be addressed by the Conference.

The Bonn Conference will include the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the UNFCCC, the 13th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 13) and the 47th sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 47) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 47). The fourth part of the first session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA 1-4) and the second part of the first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 1-2) will also convene.

The Marrakech Partnership for GCA will hold a series of events highlighting the linkages between climate change adaptation, and the SDGs and related targets on, inter alia, transport, human settlements and oceans.

APA 1-4 is anticipated to consider further guidance in relation to adaptation communications, including, inter alia, as a component of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. A technical paper by the Secretariat on adaptation-related information included in NDCs, NAPs and recent national communications (FCCC/TP/2017/7) will inform the discussions. [APA Annotated Agenda] [Adaptation-related Information Included in NDCs, NAPs and Recent National Communications]

The Subsidiary Bodies are expected to discuss, inter alia: national adaptation plans (NAPs); the Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change (NWP); the report of the Adaptation Committee (AC); and the report of the Executive Committee (ExCom) of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM). To facilitate the deliberations, the Secretariat released the following documents: report of the AC (FCCC/SB/2017/2 and FCCC/SB/2017/2/Add.1 – FCCC/SBI/2017/14/Add.1); report of the 32nd meeting of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Expert Group (LEG) (FCCC/SBI/2017/14); report of the WIM ExCom (FCCC/SB/2017/1); and a progress report on NWP implementation (FCCC/SBSTA/2017/INF.6). [SBI Provisional Annotated Agenda] [SBI Provisional Annotated Agenda Addendum] [SBSTA Provisional Annotated Agenda] [Report of the AC] [Report of the AC, the 32nd meeting of the LEG: Addendum] [Report of the 32nd Meeting of the LEG] [Report of the WIM ExCom] [Progress Made in Implementing Activities under the NWP]

Among other issues, COP 23 is expected to address implementation of the Buenos Aires programme of work on adaptation and response measures, and undertake an assessment of the technical examination processes (TEP) on mitigation and adaptation. [COP 23 Provisional Annotated Agenda] [COP 23 Provisional Annotated Agenda Addendum]

In the margins of the formal negotiations, the 11th Focal Point Forum of the NWP themed ‘Human Settlements and Adaptation’ will take place on 8 November. The Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action (GCA) will also hold a series of events highlighting the linkages between climate change adaptation, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and related targets on, inter alia, transport, human settlements and oceans. [GCA COP 23 Programme] [GCA at COP 23 Webpage]

Read an overview of adaptation finance-related items to be taken up by the UN Climate Change Conference here.

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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.