Switzerland's Commitment and SDC's Role in Promoting Adaptation Measures 

By ratifying the UNFCCC in 1993, Switzerland has committed itself to appropriately implement both strategies of the convention: mitigation and adaptation. Moreover, Switzerland has made considerable efforts in establishing and using the linkages between the UNFCCC and other multilateral environmental agreements with special regard to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Within the UNFCCC Switzerland plays an active role and is one of 5 Annex I countries represented in the UNFCCC Consultative Group of Experts for Non-Annex I National Communications[2]. The National Communications are at this stage an important instrument linking developing countries to the convention process. Under a co-financing arrangement with UNDP-GEF's National Communication Support Programme, SDC has since 2001 also contributed to the development of the Adaptation Policy Framework (APF) – a tool for detailed V&A assessments within the National Communications process. In addition, SDC uses a bottom-up approach to enhance adaptation at the field level. Consequently to this approach SDC has financed projects aimed at designing and testing tools for adaptation measures in rural livelihoods. Results of these projects will be included as well in the international policy making[3].

However, the implementation of such multilateral agreements at the local level remains a major challenge. This is particularly significant for development cooperation because implementation activities should reach the most vulnerable social groups that are also the SDC's target group. Communication and collaboration between strategic partners within the cooperation shall facilitate the exchange and improve communication between international policy-making and implementation at the local level (see figure 1). To do so activities aimed at promoting adaptation to climate change should apply a holistic and integrative approach. SDC's previous experiences in India using the livelihood approach and its “9 square mandala” provides a good starting point to face this challenge[4].

Lessons learnt through a participative process shall enrich a multilevel learning, so that it becomes also possible to move from a top-down international negotiation process in climate change to a bottom-up approach for the implementation of adaptation measures at the local level.

This proposal is a very first effort in this line. It is based on the need to translate international decision-making in adaptation to climate change and national development policies into field activities that reduce the vulnerability of the poorest social groups in selected regions of India.