Terms of reference

 

Overview

The Government decides to establish a Commission on Climate Change and Development focusing especially on risk reduction, adaptation and climate-proof development.

The main task of the Commission will be to make proposals for how to climate-proof Official Development Assistance (ODA) by integrating risk reduction and adaptation to climate change into the development and poverty reduction plans of poor countries and also to present proposals for how to design ODA that takes account of climate impacts and the risk of disasters in developing countries.

 

Background

The Stern Review and the IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report conclude that developing countries are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Climate change results in harmful impacts on farming and hydrological systems, forests, fisheries, health, economic infrastructure, etc. Poverty can be expected to rise and the prospects of achieving the Millennium Development Goals to deteriorate.

The vulnerability of poor counties to natural hazards of various kinds is so extensive that it is already threatening achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The poor are also the people most affected by natural disasters because they often live on inferior land and in vulnerable social structures and have limited, if any, resources to prevent and cope with disaster impacts. Natural disasters are not always "natural" either. Their frequency is increasing and they are having more severe impacts not only due to climate change, but also because of poorly planned urbanisation, continued environmental degradation and population growth.

Studies demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of risk reduction and disaster prevention, both in terms of lives saved and the limitation of economic losses. But assistance to disaster-hit countries has mainly consisted of emergency relief and recovery. This has to change. To enable these countries to take early action to prevent natural disasters and alleviate their effects and to also respond to the negative impacts of climate change, assistance must focus to a greater extent on risk reduction and adaptation measures. This can enhance their ability to manage climate change and to withstand natural disasters and environmental degradation.

In several sectors of society, there is a clear link between risk reduction, adaptation measures and poverty reduction. For instance, better drainage systems that prevent flooding help improve health conditions.

Climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction are receiving increasing attention. International policy frameworks have been adopted through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and the Hyogo Framework for Action. While awareness is increasing, the financing, the institutions and the general approach to climate change are still reactive. In this context, ongoing processes in the UN, such as the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), as well as work in the World Bank will be important tools. Adaptation is a less developed part of international climate cooperation. Disaster risk management at national and international level remains focused on humanitarian assistance and emergency relief.

The tasks of the Commission

Based on how climate change affects the ability of development countries to attain the Millennium Development Goals, the Commission is to present concrete proposals for how to integrate adaptation, risk reduction and climate-proof development effectively into development and poverty reduction plans in developing countries. The proposals are to take account of a bottom-up perspective and consider local and traditional knowledge in order to ensure effective adaptation and are to be socially efficient and cost-effective.

The Commission is also to present proposals on how to design Official Development Assistance that takes account of climate impacts and disaster risks in developing countries. The work of the Commission is to build on, follow and link up with ongoing initiatives in this area, such as the United Nations Framework for Climate Change, the OECD and the EU, to ensure added value.

The work of the Commission is to concentrate on:

1) Identifying and analysing the incentives for and barriers to poor countries undertaking risk reduction and climate-proofing measures in their development cooperation and also contributing to increased awareness of the need to integrate climate-proofing, risk reduction and adaptation measures into development and poverty reduction strategies. The focus is to be on weather-related disasters and climate-related impacts on development. A comprehensive approach to risk reduction will be pursued, including all major disaster risks.

Discussing how best to combine long-term work on climate change mitigation with the immediate need to support adaptation measures in developing countries.

Identifying guidelines for international development cooperation in the fields of adaptation and risk reduction, taking account of local and national perspectives in developing countries.

Considering how to achieve policy coherence by integrating concerns for climate change into wider development efforts and drafting proposals for methods of conducting Integrated Analysis for Climate-Proof Development in development cooperation.

The Commission is also to:

  • Assess the role and importance of ecosystems in disaster prevention and devise strategies to strengthen their capacity to meet climate change.

  • Give special attention to the dangers that slum dwellers are exposed to and identify solutions to reducing their vulnerability.

  • Give priority to slow-onset disasters such as prolonged droughts and chronic instability stemming from water scarcity.

  • Assess whether and in that case how risk management mechanisms in the insurance industry can be used for risk reduction and adaptation measures in developing countries.


Time frame

The mandate of the Commission will run over a period of approximately 18 months and result in a main report in spring 2009.

Members

The Commission will have 13 members including its Chairperson. Together they will represent different areas of expert knowledge and have a broad geographical base and be widely acknowledged and established among important actors in the area of climate and development.


Working methods

  • 4-5 meetings over the period of its mandate

  • Active participation in relevant international conferences through workshops, lectures, etc 

  • Commissioning papers.