Climate change adaptation – responding proactively to the effects of climate change

A kneeling woman picking fruit.
The SDC helps people adapt to the effects of climate change. © Neil Palmer (Flickr/CIAT)

The consequences of climate change affect people in developing countries in particular. For this reason, the SDC is helping population groups that are exposed and vulnerable to the effects of climate change to improve their livelihoods. People are thus able to take proactive measures to cope with the long-term consequences of climate change and extreme weather events. 

SDC focus

The SDC promotes development that takes the present and future effects of climate change into consideration. The main goal of climate change adaptation is to mitigate the negative effects of a changing climate on people and to help those affected to adapt.   The sustainable use of land, water and forest resources is crucial to achieving this goal. This is the only way to mitigate the long-term and often drastic consequences for the population of the creeping progression of climate change and of increasingly frequent extreme weather events such as droughts and floods. The SDC supports partner countries in three principal areas: 

1. Promoting concrete climate adaptation strategies and measures

Example: With the Programme of adaptation to climate change in Peru (PACC) and the Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP), the SDC is helping to improve the livelihoods of mountain communities. Expertise from Switzerland and other countries helps the affected communities, as well as public and private institutions, to develop measures in the areas of water, food security and disaster risk reduction.

2. Underlying data for climate strategies

Example: The Capacity Building and Twinning for Climate Observing Systems (CATCOS) project helps developing countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia collect climate data used as the basis for climate strategies and measures.

3. National climate adaptation planning processes

Example: The SDC is assisting interested partner countries, including China, in drawing up national climate adaptation planning processes (NAPs) to enable them to develop integrated and coordinated solutions.

Background

Climate change affects the entire planet. However, the consequences of climate change vary enormously from one region to another because of different social and economic conditions. Socially and economically disadvantaged communities are particularly badly affected. Climate change exacerbates poverty, hunger and conflicts in the countries of the South in particular. The SDC is therefore committed to development that is climate compatible in the long term.

While people living in coastal regions are especially affected by rising sea levels, people in arid and desert regions are suffering from increasing water scarcity. Mountain regions, for their part, are experiencing flooding and mudslides ever more frequently. The livelihoods of the inhabitants of these regions are therefore in special need of protection.

Vulnerability and adaptability

Planning and implementing climate change mitigation measures requires technical expertise, financial resources and the commitment of political decision-makers. All of these are often in short supply in developing countries. Targeted measures can however reduce the climate risks faced by communities and preserve or even improve their livelihoods. For example, thanks to seasonal weather forecasts, smallholder farmers in Peru and India have been able to choose the optimal time to sow and harvest their crops, and have thereby markedly improved their yields.

Links

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Current projects

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Backstopping support for SDC’s Cluster Green thematic Knowledge Networks A+FS, CDE and RésEAU

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2028

As a globally active knowledge-based organisation, SDC is critically dependent on effective and efficient knowledge management. SDC’s thematic networks sit at the heart of this endeavour, rendering an essential service across the organisation and its partners by connecting network members, collecting and processing information, and retaining and distributing knowledge. State-of-the art backstopping services are essential to this activity, as is close cooperation between SDC’s thematic networks.


SOM, SomReP Bridging Phase

01.10.2024 - 31.12.2025

SomReP aims to foster sustainable livelihoods and increase the resilience of (agro-) pastoralist communities to climate shocks across Somalia. By supporting vulnerable communities to better cope with ecological disasters SomRep makes an important contribution to mitigate key drivers of fragility in Somalia and thereby promotes Switzerland’s interest to strengthen stability and economic develop ment in the Horn of Africa region.


Strengthening the Climate Adaptation Capacities in Georgia

01.10.2024 - 31.03.2027

Since 2017, Switzerland has contributed to national and international efforts to adapt to the increasing impacts of climate change in Georgia. It will continue to support the further development of the legal and policy  framework  for  natural  hazard mapping  and  zoning  in  2024-2027,  with  an  additional  focus  on strengthening the inclusion of women's voices, needs and capacities in disaster risk reduction. The project will also rely on the Swiss expertise on avalanche and landslide forecasting. 


Andean Regional Initiative on Adaptation to Climate Change (ARIACC)

01.09.2024 - 31.08.2027

ARIACC aims to increase the resilience of Andean Family Agriculture to climate change by improving the implementation of relevant policies, building capacity, leveraging investments, scaling innovative practices and promoting regional and global knowledge exchange. Close multisectoral collaboration will ensure the sustainability and scaling of the initiative. The project builds on longstanding SDC experience in the region and consolidates successful achievements of Phase 1 while sharing them globally.


Tajikistan UNDRR - Strengthening Resilience to Disasters and Climate Change in Tajikistan (SRDCT)

01.09.2024 - 28.02.2026

Tajikistan is highly vulnerable to natural hazards and climate impacts, thus strengthening resilience needed as fundament for sustainable development. The intervention will contribute to (i) sustainable and effective mechanisms and instruments to improve risk governance through the national DRR platform,  (ii) improved risk knowledge through robust loss data collection and recording, and (iii) preparedness measures through support to multi-hazard Early Warning Systems and risk information.   


Promoting efficient, affordable and clean cooling for everyone (PEACCE)

01.08.2024 - 31.07.2028

The Promoting Efficient, Affordable and Clean Cooling for Everyone (PEACCE) project contributes to mobilising global support and political will for scaling up sustainable cooling solutions in sub-Saharan Africa by supporting the Sustainable Cooling programme of the Sustainable Energy for All organisation. With its support, Switzerland aims to leverage its experience in passive cooling and nature-based cooling solutions both within sub-Saharan Africa and globally.


Capacity Building for Low Carbon and Climate Resilient City Development in India (CapaCITIES)

01.08.2024 - 31.07.2026

India’s 8000+ cities contribute to more than 70% of its GHG emissions and are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. The CapaCITIES exit phase will consolidate results of the Ph. 1 and 2 of the Indo-Swiss collaboration on low carbon and climate resilient urban development, support institutionalisation for autonomous implementation of Net-Zero Climate Resilient City Action Plans by cities, and disseminate and upscale results at the national level.


Armenia: Early Recovery after Floods 2024 (Direct Action)

08.07.2024 - 31.12.2025

Heavy rainfall in May 2024 led to flooding in Northern Armenia, four casualties, temporary displacement of 2’400 persons and considerable damage on public and private infrastructure. A Rapid Response Team of Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) assessed structural engineering (bridges, roads) damages. Based on that assessment, the proposed SHA Direct Action supports early recovery efforts in Armenia with pedestrian bridges, an event analysis and engineering advice.


Responsible Business Fund Plus (RBF+)

01.07.2024 - 30.06.2028

Myanmar’s post-coup conflict escalation and economic turmoil has led to financial and economic instability and destabilised the agrifood industry. Also, extreme weather and climate change further impact farmers and agricultural processors. The Responsible Business Fund Plus project aims to support agrifood businesses while reducing their environmental impact and thus deepening Switzerland's commitment to private sector engagement and an inclusive green economy.


Climate Services for a Resilient Albania (ALBAdapt)

01.06.2024 - 31.12.2030

The project will increase Albania’s adaptive capacity and climate resilience through the effective generation and use of climate information and services. It will develop an innovative Multi Hazard Impact Based Early Warning System in line with international standards. The MeteoSwiss expertise will be of added value in leveraging the Green Climate Fund engagement and complementing the SECO contribution to this large strategic project.


Global Shelter Cluster, IFRC: Green Shelter and Settlements Response

01.06.2024 - 31.05.2027

The project will support the implementation of the new Global Shelter Cluster strategy (2024-2028) and in particular the knowledge and capacity building pillars of the Global Shelter Cluster environmental strategic approach with the main objective of the systematic integration of environmental and climate considerations into shelter and settlement responses.


Up-Scaling ARC's Risk Transfer System

01.05.2024 - 06.07.2026

Switzerland is playing a leading role in the development of innovative financial instruments to mitigate climate risks. This project aims to support the African Union's African Risk Capacity, an early warning and risk transfer system, in protecting 175’000 smallholder rice farmers in Côte d'Ivoire as a pilot project against drought, excessive rainfall and other climate-related challenges, and to strengthen their resilience and sustainability in the face of environmental uncertainties.

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