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Vulnerability and Adaptation - Preparing for change

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The industrialised nations have the means required to adapt to the impact of climate change. The populations of developing countries on the other hand, who are more vulnerable, often lack the technical, financial and political instruments that would enable them to adapt the way they live to changing environmental conditions.

Key facts
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The 2.6 billion people around the world who live on less than USD 2 a day are the most vulnerable to the impact of climate change.
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To protect developing countries against natural disasters in an effective manner, the industrialised nations would have to devote about 0.2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) to programmes of adaptation.
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This would mean investing in the kind of basic infrastructure that would enable these populations to manage climate-related risks without undermining development.

The phenomenon of climate change affects the entire population of this planet, regardless of social origin, income, or free choice. The impact varies with the geographical location, affecting natural environments to a greater or lesser degree. The inhabitants of coastal regions are particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels, whereas the inhabitants of arid and semi-arid zones are subject to the daily impoverishment of their water supply. Coping with such situations requires a multitude of measures.

Challenges facing us today
 Adaptive measures can be expensive, however, and are too often inaccessible. They require considerable technical capabilities, a high level of investment, and the commitment of political leaders able to formulate and implement strategies to deal with the challenges that face the world today. In these efforts to anticipate the impact of climate change and slow it down, the nations of the industrialised world have a considerable advantage, since they have both the technical skills and the financial means required to take action.
The millions of vulnerable people who live in coastal, arid or semi-arid zones on the other hand do not have the means that would enable them to adapt to climate change and face the future with confidence. To remedy this inequality, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, signed in 1992, tries to provide support to the “developing countries that are most vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change, and deal with the cost of adaptation”.


Focus of the SDC

Switzerland is committed to combating the negative impact of climate change by supporting the efforts of the most vulnerable countries to develop policies that will enable them to adapt in an effective way to this global phenomenon. The main objective is to promote development in a way that integrates climate considerations.
When adapting to climate change, it is important to create efficient systems for the management of soil, water sources and forests -- indispensable for preventing such extreme phenomena as drought and floods. The SDC supports efforts to strengthen the capacities of local and central authorities in this respect as well as in the development of national plans. It also encourages the creation of systems for monitoring, coordinating and warning about the impact of climate change. There are indeed considerable synergies with humanitarian aid, and these are being developed in an effort to lessen the risk of natural disasters.

Three projects supported by the Climate Change Section:

  • Climate Change Adaptation Programme (PACC) in Peru
     The main objective of PACC, while helping to consolidate the living conditions of communities in the Andes regions of Cusco and Apurimac, is to ensure that the populations as well as the public and private institutions in these two regions can benefit from experiences acquired around the world in implementing specific adaptive measures in such areas as water management, security of food supplies and reduction of the risk of natural disasters. This programme is having an influence on public, national and international policies.
  • Adaptation programme in Western India
    In collaboration with the authorities of Maharashtra (Western Central India) and the non-governmental organisation Watershed Organization Trust (WOTR), the SDC has developed an innovative climate change adaptation programme. The creation of small weather stations, just one of many measures, will enable locally trained specialists to anticipate the risk of floods and reduce the vulnerability of local populations to climate change.
  • Kyoto Adaptation Fund
    The Climate Change Section of the SDC is represented in the Fund’s Board. The aim is to finance adaptation projects in developing countries. As a member, the SDC tries to ensure that the money is properly used, notably to assist the financial restructuring now taking place.


Contact: gpcc@eda.admin.ch

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