Mansveld spreekt op Klimaatconferentie over adaptatie en een nieuw klimaatakkoord
Minister van Milieu, Wilma Mansveld, sprak tijdens de bijeenkomst ‘From negotiations to action on the ground’ op de Klimaatconferentie in Warschau over adaptatie en het nieuwe klimaatakkoord.
It’s a great honour and pleasure to open this side event on ‘Coherence in adaptation: from the global to the local level.’
From the global level here at this conference we are working to stimulate and enable adaptation on the ground. This conference can be an important stepping stone in devising a strong focus on adaptation in the future climate agreement.
Coherence is essential: the actions of different tiers of government need to correspond. This side event can provide useful information and insights. Its organisers represent a broad network of knowledge and experience in the field of adaptation and water.
Take the Task Force on Water and Climate, which is co-chaired by Switzerland and the Netherlands. A prime example of an active, global network of practitioners who exchange experiences and learn from each other. We are happy to share these experiences with you.
This side event features two case studies by countries that the Netherlands works with very closely: Vietnam and Colombia. The studies show what adaptation measures are being taken at national and local level, and how this relates to our work at global level.
I strongly believe in the need to build a global regime that provides countries with effective tools to take adaptation measures – both now and in the future climate agreement.
It’s also necessary to involve other actors, such as the private sector, in adaptation planning and action. For the Netherlands, and certain other countries present here, water is the most crucial challenge in adaptation. Most of the impact of climate change is felt in the water cycle – too much and too little water. Flood protection, water quality and water scarcity are interrelated problems. That’s why we set up our Dutch Delta Programme, to help us prepare and implement concrete measures to make our delta a safer place to live.
Water lies at the heart of the biggest issues we face: about making our growing cities sustainable and resilient in the face of climate change. But it’s also central to other problems as well. Like ensuring sufficient supplies of renewable energy, healthy food and clean water in the future. Water is key in economic activities: food, energy, industrial production. So climate change adaptation is all about water management.
We must see all these challenges as interconnected. In other words, water is a crosscutting issue. I believe that the issue of water has the potential to enhance coherence in the work of several international programmes, like the Nairobi Work Programme. The Adaptation Committee can play a connecting role in this respect.
I look forward to learning more about the practical case studies in this side event. They will show what adaptation measures are being taken at local and national level. We can then join up the dots between work here, the negotiations, and action on the ground, and further develop our ideas for the new climate agreement.
I wish you all a productive event. Thank you.